Consequences Can

What do you get when you take an empty baked bean can, some snazzy craft paper and a lot of chores written on small slips of paper?

You get another something sitting on your counter, a bunch of chores done, children who might think about the consequences of their actions and a mom who is more emotionally stable!

I made a 'Consequences can' and it has worked wonders for our relationships.

 

Before the consequences can, the kids would misbehave, I'd yell, hurt their feelings and we'd all be upset for a while simply because I yelled.  Not because they had misbehaved.

 

This can filled with consequences has allowed me to remove my emotions from the equation by being the immediate punishment for the offense.  Now when transgressions are made I can simply say, "Pull a consequence".  While the child is carrying out the consequence it gives me a much needed time-out to sort through my initial emotions and gather my thoughts for a constructive teaching moment.

 

I got this idea from an online source that I do not remember.  I believe however, that the online source was taking the idea from Lisa Whelchel's book Creative Correction.  I have not read the book due to time constraints but it is on my bookshelf for future reading enjoyment.

 

Some of our consequences include:

 

Clean and refill birdbath

Vacuum stairs

Do 25 push-ups

Organize shoe closet

Clean out van

Clean mirrors and the all important 'Mercy ticket'.

 

The mercy ticket works in many ways.  It allows me to explain God's mercy.  The person drawing the ticket gets an exemption from the consequence.  And, it eliminates the kids whining or complaining about having to draw a consequence, because they are hopeful they'll draw a mercy ticket.

 

If you want to raise your children with love and creative discipline, this might just be the ticket.