parenting . . . sheesh

So, sometimes it's a challenge keeping my little family on track. Do you ever feel like that? I am starting to understand why mother's love routine and why sunday's are so hard. It's a day that breaks from routine!

So tonight i mustered every bit of my craftiness (for those who know me I am great with ideas and I'll bring the snack but PLEASE don't ask me to craft) and made a poster for my kids to hang in our kitchen. No cricket. No stickers. Just some markers and me.

For the past week we've had a little dinnertime ritual where I call out questions and the kids answer them.

It goes something like this:

Today ...

Who brushed their hair?

Brushed their teeth?

Made their bed?

Was kind to their family?

Ate a vegetable?

Did their homework?

Practiced the piano?

Exercised or played ou

tside?
Talked respectfully to Mom and Dad?

Smiled at someone?

Giggled at something silly? (Which they then proceed to tell us what was silly)

Chose to have a good attitude about something?

Used their brain to solve a tricky problem?

Read a book?

Said their prayers?

Read their scriptures?

Learned a new place on the map?

Learned a new word?

It may seem like a lot of questions but it goes by quickly and the kids love raising their hand and telling us about their day.

And it helps me keep things moving in a positive direction with all the whining going on.

Anyway, I am so proud of my little craft that I had to share. The kids get to pepper it with stars and when we get to 1,000 we are going somewhere fun.

So, what are your parenting tips for raising happy, problem-solving, grateful kids? Love to hear them.