Stickers and Pooh

My sister has a three year old that sometimes gives her trouble. She decided to implement a sticker chart for him to earn a prize for making good choices. I thought it was a great idea but I was racking my brain and wondering if Wyatt could do this.....make good choices.

In the meantime, I was having difficulty with Wyatt going to bed. It was mostly for naps but he basically was trying to manipulate me into not putting him in his crib. He would lie on the floor and say, "I go night night here." Mind you, this was all while throwing a tantrum. Or he would kick and scream as I "gently" put him in his crib. I would walk out and let him cry then when I came back in he would say, "Mommy do it," and let me lay him down. Oh, it was gruesome! Our five minute routine turned into 15-20 minutes. The tantrums seemed incessant. Then on top of all this he would talk to himself for two hours or so and then fall asleep. Although I got a long break to get things done, I had to wake him up because I didn't want him sleeping too far into the afternoon (4:30 pm) and then he was cranky because I woke him up. Oh, the joys!

Enter idea of sticker chart+trouble with naps/bedtime=Just do it! What do you have to lose?

So, I made a sticker chart and we were off. I wasn't sure if Wyatt would grasp the concept but he picked it up oh so fast. And once a tear was about to be shed I would just remind him of the stickers. He wiped that tear so fast and went to sleep. Part of the plan too was that he was to close his eyes and go to sleep (aka NO TALKING!).

He knew that once he got to Pooh he was going to get a prize. He kept saying, "Get Poot, prize!" So, the prize was going to be a Pooh coloring book that I happened to pick up at the dollar section at Target. But on this site Queen Creek Friends that I am apart of, it is kind of like an information/Craigslist/recommendations for things, etc., someone was giving away a train tracks set. Wyatt is obessed with trains. He lines cars and trains up to make long ones. He loves seeing and hearing trains. So, I thought this would be perfect.

And it is. He earned the prize yesterday and hasn't stopped playing with it. We barely have gotten him to eat, sleep, and drink after giving him the "prize." He is happy so I'm happy. I'll save the Pooh coloring book for next time. :) Oh, and I must say that there is no problem to put him to bed anymore. Yipee!!

Now, what do we work for now? And don't even say potty training because we are both not ready for that one.