Little Charts, Big Progress

The practicing parent needs an arsenal of practice tools.  In the same way that a newly scented countertop spray makes daily cleanup more fun, or switching out a pillow brightens up the same comfortably worn sofa, new practice ideas can breath life into our daily routines.

I have been printing out these little charts the last couple weeks.  Each child gets one chart per day.  I tweak the contents daily as needed.  I use Microsoft Excel, and set the boxes to half inch squares.  The charts are 3 x 5 cheap white notecards.  I set the paper size and feed them into the printer and they pop out the other side.  I save the file, but I don't save the changes everyday.

In my mind, I know that the chart should take a certain amount of time.  That is, if the child is focused and productive.  Otherwise, he will need to come back later to finish the chart.

I come to the practice ready to go, knowing what we need to do, but the child gets the choice in the order and how relaxed or efficient she wants to be.  When the focus is gone, we are done, but we come back later to finish.  Sometimes they finish the chart without me, and that is okay too--I can listen from the laundry or kitchen.

I hope you like the charts, and if you would like one, email me and I'll send you an attachment with a blank chart.  You'll have to buy your own stickers.   Since my kids get a reduced rate of tuition (wink) I splurge on stickers for them.