My favorite parenting magazine Family Fun by Disney had a couple summer ideas. One, was a mom that set up a chart for her family to read books. Each book gets a check mark. The family member with the most checks at the end of the summer gets to choose a family outing.
Sounds perfect, right? I whipped up a chart and stuck it on the fridge. I couldn't wait to tell the kids about it.
They were both excited. Immediately, O ran upstairs and before I knew it, had put his first check box on the chart.
Then a second.
And a third.
This is where it got all messy. O is reading short phonics books. Sam, not so much. Well, Sam figured that he could read those same phonics books and get marks.
Back the truck up!
I don't want to count pages or anything, but that's just not fair. A couple shaky voices asking about winning and losing and we figured that a third grade level book would receive multiple boxes checked.
And then O marks his fourth and fifth and all the way to eleven boxes. This is in a two hour period. I have created this reading monster, which isn't a bad thing, unless he is flaunting his reading prowess to his brother.
Which he was.
I clearly have two very competitive boys. Not only is this about reading, it has become a lesson in controlling emotions and not always being the winner. Day one, people. Day one. So much for Disney's great ideas. They clearly don't know my children.
I just wanted to encourage (yes, bribe) them to read.
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