A Reward system for children (yes its working!)

I have tried a lot of reward systems from the basic bribery to sticker charts but none have really worked the boys loose interest get bored and just don't seem to care but this week, having yet another  go at something different, I cant believe its actually working and its a really cheap and simple tactic and the main thing the boys love it.

Its the pasta reward system, I know what your thinking how can pasta be a reward! let me tell you how it works you buy a simple jar (you can pick them up cheap from most places) and each time your child does something good you reward them with pasta. The pasta represents a monetary value now I have valued ours at a penny a piece, The reason for this is you can give five or ten pieces and your child thinks they are getting lots and there jar is filling up quicker plus if you value them too high, you are going to be very out of pocket at the end of the week valuing them at say ten pence a piece, unless of course you gave them less but this could make them loose motivation.

At the end of the week you let your child and yourself count up how many pieces they have and turn it into money, which they can spend or save but whatever they choose you must allow them too have (within reason of course)

The Rules of the pasta system

• Value the pasta lower like a penny or two pence a peice.
• Get your children to decorate the jars so they know which one is there's and its something they take pride in.
• Don't be afraid to give lots they will enjoy being praised.
• You could have a couple of special pieces that are worth more for when they do something exceptional.
• If you say they can have five pieces for cleaning up and complete the task but then start misbehaving still give them the pasta for cleaning up.
• If they refuse to put there coat on tell them that you will do it for them but it will cost them X amount of pasta.
• Try and reward so that siblings have the same amount at the end of the week it stops arguments.
• NEVER EVER EVER take pasta off your child when there bad this is a positive exercise and once it turns into something negative they wont care about it.  

The Pasta reward system is really working for us at the moment and the boys are really enthusiastic about it. Why not give it a go!