This is what I've come up with. It is a combination of my old system and other people's suggestions. I like to call it the ADHD motivator.
It is a one month whiteboard calendar that I bought at Target. Each weekday has a daily reward and a daily punishment written on it that is covered by a post-it.
Michael gets the boy up at 7:00 every morning. He then has a half an hour to get going and eat breakfast which officially ends at 7:30. Then we start the first 15 minute timer. If he gets ready in this 15 minutes he gets to pull the post-it off and get a daily reward and a star. For every five stars he earn a comic book. Once he has earned three comic books he gets to choose a larger prize; right now he is one comic book away from going bowling.
If the first timer goes off and he isn't ready we start the second timer. If he gets ready in this 15 minutes he gets a star, but no daily reward and no daily punishment. We still pull the post-it off to record the star and so he can see the reward and punishment he missed. This morning he was disappointed to find out that if he had been ready earlier we would have gone on a bike ride. However, he was also relieved to find out that he wouldn't have to do a 20 minute mommy chore after school.
If he isn't ready after the second timer he gets the punishment. This hasn't happened yet, but I'm sure it will at some point.
Monday and Tuesday he got both the star and the reward. Today he just got the star. So far this system is working really well for him. I think it plays into what he needs in the morning as far as the ADHD goes. He has a visual reminders (both the calendar and the timer) as well as immediate rewards and punishments. He also has goals that he is working towards. I think it also shows him that getting ready in the morning IS something he can do.
I realize this system won't work forever but really I'm trying to teach him that he has the skills and he needs to learn how to remain focused enough to do what needs to be done.
Wish me luck, and I'll keep you posted on his progress.
It is a one month whiteboard calendar that I bought at Target. Each weekday has a daily reward and a daily punishment written on it that is covered by a post-it.
Michael gets the boy up at 7:00 every morning. He then has a half an hour to get going and eat breakfast which officially ends at 7:30. Then we start the first 15 minute timer. If he gets ready in this 15 minutes he gets to pull the post-it off and get a daily reward and a star. For every five stars he earn a comic book. Once he has earned three comic books he gets to choose a larger prize; right now he is one comic book away from going bowling.
If the first timer goes off and he isn't ready we start the second timer. If he gets ready in this 15 minutes he gets a star, but no daily reward and no daily punishment. We still pull the post-it off to record the star and so he can see the reward and punishment he missed. This morning he was disappointed to find out that if he had been ready earlier we would have gone on a bike ride. However, he was also relieved to find out that he wouldn't have to do a 20 minute mommy chore after school.
If he isn't ready after the second timer he gets the punishment. This hasn't happened yet, but I'm sure it will at some point.
Monday and Tuesday he got both the star and the reward. Today he just got the star. So far this system is working really well for him. I think it plays into what he needs in the morning as far as the ADHD goes. He has a visual reminders (both the calendar and the timer) as well as immediate rewards and punishments. He also has goals that he is working towards. I think it also shows him that getting ready in the morning IS something he can do.
I realize this system won't work forever but really I'm trying to teach him that he has the skills and he needs to learn how to remain focused enough to do what needs to be done.
Wish me luck, and I'll keep you posted on his progress.
5 comments:
I'm 28 and this would still work for me.
What a great plan. Maybe I should use it to get Sam Potty trained.
I wish I'd had a computer the last two weeks, I could have offered all sort of unsolicited advice. But since I'm a day late and dollar short, I'm just going to steal all your ideas.
JordanAndJames--What! How long have you been using this system? And I thought I was so unique!
NG--I'm always up for unsolicited advice. Believe me I'll contact you in a few weeks when my current motivator goes south.
This is the best idea. I know I'll be using it sometime soon!
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