The ‘Star Chart’ has featured heavily in our household during the Easter holidays. No sooner had I awarded a star for good behaviour, I was busy setting the next target.
During term time, there is one star-a-day up for grabs, usually for not having a full scale temper tantrum. However, during the past two weeks the bar was raised and stars were slapped on the fridge door at an impressive rate. A star for dressing by themselves (exceptions made for buttons), managing to choose a breakfast cereal in less than five minutes, sitting (rather than standing) on their chairs for an entire meal, eating their broccoli, avoiding World War III over who has the strawberry over the peach Petit Filous, letting Mummy chat on the phone without being interrupted, and finally, for limiting the number of requests at bedtime such as more water, loo trips, warm milk (nice try) or, “Mummy, I need to ask you something.”
Once they had earnt ten stars each they were allowed to choose a ‘modest’ present. Having given away another star for persuading my ‘naturist’ son to put some clothes on for the trip, we skipped off to the toy shop in Shaftesbury. The children had both spotted toys weeks ago, so our three-year-old son dashed in, took a flying jump down the three steps and held up the last remaining sword on display. My daughter settled on a wooden fishing game to replace the one that had been chewed by Molly, our Border ‘terrorist’. While they were there, they also had a thorough rummage round for the next reward.
On our way home, my five-year-old daughter decided the whole family should have a star chart. How could I disagree? There are now six charts ‘blu-tacked’ to the fridge. My daughter is in her element as Star Manager and life in our house does actually seem a little less fraught. The baby received a star for not dropping food over the highchair, the dog has bagged a few for not jumping up to greet people, Daddy has pocketed one for “emptying the dishwasher for Mummy,” and I am pretty chuffed with my star for “not nagging Daddy to mow the lawn.”
