Household Currency to Promote Good Behavior (w/ Printable “Money”)

My husband and I are constantly changing, updating and trying new parenting strategies. Like chess we are calculating our next parenting move to address individual behaviors. We have always focused on rewarding the positive behaviors.  Parenting is hard and I don’t have all the answers, but right now with school age children that ar 5 & 7 this has been very effective and fun to implement as a parent.

Over the winter our girls mastered roller skating and as summer approached my husband and I wanted to buy them rollerblades. In an effort too maximize our cash we wanted to teach some life skills like hard work, patience, persistence, and working towards a long-term goal. That’s how Bayer Bucks came about as our Household Currency.

How it Works

Bayer Bucks are a reward system which is separate from our discipline and consequences. When you earn a buck it stays with you, we don’t take them away or use them in discipline. Bayer Bucks can earn you all sorts of cool things. With a price of 50 Bayer Bucks, it took about 3 weeks for them to earn the new rollerblades.

How do you earn a Bayer Buck?

• Being helpful
• Listening the first time
• Good conflict resolution with sibling
• Good day at school
• Doing something without being asked
• Good bedtime routines
• Good oral hygiene routine
• Getting dressed on your own in the morning
• Playing nice by yourself or with others
• Acts of Kindness
• Turning off TV when instructed
• Doing something good for the environment

Over the months we have continuously updated our incentives and have thought of so many fun ideas. But most fall into 4 categories.

An Object: Any item big or small, something that is a want, not a need. Examples from our home: rollerblades, scooters, high heels (I totally found on sale), ant farm, baby alive diapers, make up, new soccer ball…

Special Event – Any special event or one on one time, weather its breakfast with dad or date night with parents, overnight at grandparents, trip to the YMCA to swim, special cooking event with grandma, ice cream with grandpa, fishing or a bike ride. Children want our time and attention and will work for it.

Extra privileges – Extra books at bedtime, extra screen time, computer time, extra 10 minutes before “lights out”.  

Job Postings –  We have enjoyed “posting” jobs or work that can earn Bucks! We sell hair beaders online and if they help with this process they receive a cash incentive in addition to a Bayer Buck, organizing the shoe closet, folding laundry will sometimes have a random Buck offered.

This does take some parenting focus to keep the spirit of this activity alive. Here are some tips and tricks we have learned.

• They can’t ask for Bayer Buck…well they can, but they won’t get one. 
• Household currency is nontransferable between siblings.
• Be Generous with the Money, attempt to give 3-5 dollars per day or more. 
• Offer Double Dollar Days
• Change your incentives frequently
• Display their progress in the house

Do It Yourself Kit: You can do this to! Here are some printable to get you started.

 

 

Download Printable Bucks

Girl 1

Girl 2

Boy 1

Boy 2

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Bucks

We have cycled through many different parenting techniques over the years. And I’m sure as we move into the next stage Bayer Bucks will not be “cool” or the type of parenting intention they need, but for the time being we are going to let it rain Bayer bucks.

Megan Bayer
Megan has lived in Wichita since 1999, graduated in 2003 as an RN, and received her MSN in Nursing Education in 2016. Megan loves teaching and works in healthcare as Director of Simulation at Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is a survivor of childhood cancer that led to some complicated reproductive issues, including the loss of their son Lincoln (18wks, 2008) and daughter Basil (23wks 2010). With a best friend to spend a life-time with and a vision of a family David and Megan embarked on three amazing adoption journeys. With active kids (London 2012, Locklyn 2013 & Ronnie 2015) and busy careers, life is anything but slow-paced.