We all know how important it is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, but it sometimes can be difficult, especially when it comes to our kids. I believe that if we can get our kids to work with us, it's a win-win. Here's what I mean: What if your kids are motivated to eat a rainbow every day. You determine how many colors of the rainbow your kids need to eat each day and offer them a reward. If we as parents drop the ball, wouldn't it be great if our kids reminded us that they needed another color or two? I decided to incorporate eating a rainbow into our reward system at home. We've just started using it again. All three of my kids are on board (the youngest is 4). In my house, I give out Fuerstenbucks as a reward for doing chores and good behavior. You can call them whatever you want, such as Dad Dollars or Mom Money. I got the idea from a magazine article a couple of years ago. Here's a link to create money with your own picture added: http://www.festisite.com/money/. I printed mine on orange paper so they're easy to find. Two important rules in my house: 1) Once earned, they cannot be taken away. 2) Lost Fuerstenbucks will not be replaced. I really love this concept. As a family, we updated our list of ways the kids can earn Fuerstenbucks. Some examples: making your bed, being ready for bed by 7:45 p.m. (this includes brushing teeth and setting out clothes for school), feeding the dog twice a day, helping in the garden, etc. One of my biggest struggles is having the boys ready for school on time. Now I set out 2 bucks on the counter for each boy. If they are totally ready, they claim their bucks. When the clock turns to 7:46, I take away the bucks. This has eliminated so much stress. I just remind them what time it is as it gets closer to 7:45. On the reward side, they have a fun menu of items that they can earn. 10 Fuerstenbucks is a pick from the treasure box (stocked with things from crayons and markers to Lego mini figures or a small Lego set). They can earn computer/TV/electronics time, special time with one parent, a family picnic or bike ride and more. If you have any low- or no-cost ideas, please share them! So getting back to the rainbow. Last night at supper the kids and I had a talk, and they agreed it would be a good idea if they could earn Fuerstenbucks through healthy eating (I had awarded a spontaneous buck to my 6-year-old for choosing a healthy snack). Whatever you can do to help kids develop healthy habits now will pay dividends in the long run.
