Sometimes finding ways to motivate a 2 year old can be challenging.... They like to do it their way and for the most part they are stubborn. Well, talk about stubborn- this mommy is stubborn so it is my job to find ways to motivate my 2 year old along the way :) Here is our latest motivation story and then it is your job to tell me a way you motivate your kiddo, so that I can use your expertise the next time around!!
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So, Ivy has always been a good sleeper. She slept in her room, in her bed the first day home from the hospital (this may or may not be because she was 2 feet from us in our formally 900 sq. ft. townhouse). She slept through night at 8 weeks old and we really never had problems unless she was sick. This was until about November of this year.... yes, she was now 2 years old and letting a 2 year old cry it out was simply too difficult for me. She was sick for a little while and then our heat broke, so those were my excuses. We started bad habits of putting her in our bed, sometimes before midnight. Ladies, we have a full size bed... not large enough for 2 adults, 2 cats, and a squirmy 2 year old!! Two months passed by, we were tired and were experiencing the interrupted sleep of a newborn so we had to do something. So a sticker chart it was!!
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I got a 20 spot chart and filled it with rewards that she chose for every third day (you will see the picture rewards on the chart, that she didn't want to cover with stickers). She got things from m and m's, a trip to the dollar store, pink ice cream, and ending with a trip to Chuckee Cheese. This worked for Ivy like a charm! All but 2 days, in the stretch of 20 days, she earned a sticker. We were so proud of her and how well this worked for us. We talked the chart up and bragged on her, showing it off to family, friends, and her babysitter. This is the way we motivated her at night and it worked wonders, but where we struggle is motivating her to do things during the day. I am looking for ways to encourage her to help clean up her toys or to use good table manners! I would love to hear how you motivate your kiddos and maybe your way will work for us.
