I got over my illness and was able to go to work every day this week. I started to settle into my new job, and all of us are settling into the new routine.
The best thing, and perhaps the biggest surprise, is that Kai has been doing amazingly well. He has adjusted to everything without a hitch.
We thought the changes at home would be tough for him to get used to, especially as he is also beginning a new school year with some changes in his classroom staff and schedule. But he has had a great disposition every day, rarely getting frustrated. And that has translated to school as well. He is off to a great start this school year, and it is especially wonderful that he has been safe every day. We haven’t had to throw out a shirt yet. ☺
The other night was Family Night at school. We got to see Kai’s third grade classroom, and meet the staff. Here, he is showing the robot the kids made from recycled materials they brought to school.
Kai’s school has a Point Store where students can 'spend' the points they earn for good behavior on small toys or treats. Kai suggested that we open a Point Store at home, too.
We thought that was a good idea, so we opened our store in conjunction with the start of the school year. Kai and I jointly determined how he could earn points, and the ‘prices’ of the items for sale.
We decided that he can earn points for having a safe day at school, earning a specified score on his school Point Sheet, and for not knocking on our bedroom door in the middle of the night.
I don’t know if the Point Store contributed to his good few weeks of school, but I do know that the incentive to earn points strongly motivated him to not wake us up at night. I think we may have finally broken his habit of having to have me sleep in the extra bed in his room.
With his good performance, Kai quickly earned enough points to ‘buy’ his first reward, a Basher book on Rocks and Minerals.
Who knew that rocks and minerals would lead to a good night’s sleep?
A happy boy, a rested dad, and a good week all around; gotta love it!
Yay! re the shirts and Yay! re the good sleep - everything seems much better when you're well rested. Good for Kai, he's growing up well x
ReplyDeleteThanks, Steph!
DeleteLife is getting better. All the work your family has been doing is starting to pay off the life long dividends. When you pay your dues, everybody comes out ahead. You will, of course, come to more rough times in life (puberty for Kai)...but everyone will know how to handle it well by then. You and your family have been treading a correct path in life. It is so good to see you enjoying some of the rewards. And, of course, Kudos to Kai for rolling with the changes. Good for all of you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shiroi. I don't want to get too excited as I know with Kai there are always times when things don't go so well, but I do think we are on the right path overall. I see a maturity in him now that was not evident before.
DeleteI love the idea of a point store! A full night sleep is the key to a better day! I am the one who spends the night (few hours at least) in a toddler bed quite often! How is it possible I don't know, it is supposed to hold a 100 lbs...I am not saying my weight but it sure does not make me proud! :o)
ReplyDeleteI am so glad things are looking up!
Geovana
Geovana, the point store has been a great motivator, and it is a start at teaching him about budgeting... he can't have everything all at once, so he has to decide what to spend his points on.
DeleteHope you have some restful nights!
What a great week! I'm glad everyone is adjusting well to the new routine! Congratulations on the new job! Your wife will adjust fine to the new ways....I can relate to all of that...handling the school phone calls, meds, and after school routines alone. It all evens out in the end, though and I'm sure you are all just thankful to have a steady income!
ReplyDeleteAnd I really smiled that no shirts had to be thrown out this week! haha. And Yuji, you clean up well...look so handsome in your suit! :)
Thanks, Betsy! :)
DeleteYou are a pro at doing all that for your triplets... my wife is adjusting well so far, and it helps that Kai has been doing so well as that keeps the stress levels low.
What a success story!
ReplyDeleteNow we both know that this could come to a crashing end at any point, however, the gains that have been made show a real push in the right direction!
Cheers to you and your wife!
We just had a slight bump in the road (which I hope to write about), but, all in all, it was minor compared to what we experienced before. Thanks, Kelly.
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