Sticker Charts Work!

Or at least they do for us!

My BFF Erin is made of gold. I wish you could all know her like I do (and I wish she had a blog too!). Besides being a fantastic friend, she is a fantastic mommy. She will graciously listen to my text-complaints about no sleep this, blah blah that, and then will share her wisdom/suggestion with me so thoughtfully, I am spurred to action immediately.

The sticker chart was Erin's suggestion to me when Juliette was fleecing us at bedtime.

Over the past several months, her nightly stall tactics were getting progressively worse and worse, her bedtime was getting later and later, and no matter what we did, it ended in crying or laying down with her to get her to fall asleep. My previously 7 PM max-put-herself-to-sleep-bedtime girl was totally wearing us out. This happened very gradually, and some nights were easier than others. Adding in potty-training complicated things even further (we can't deny her going to the potty before bed, obviously).

It was getting to the point where I would worry about leaving her with a babysitter because it was SO MUCH DRAMA. Blerg. I never wanted to be a mom who a) can't leave her kid for an evening away and b) dreaded a long, drawn-out bedtime (who does though, right?). Punishment wasn't working. Cry-it-out wasn't really working either.

Juliette needs a lot of structure. I don't know if it's that she's a typical oldest child who likes things in their place and is very Type-A, or if it's just her age and stage of development, but give that girl a checklist, and she can breathe easy. Once we set a predictable checklist of a bedtime routine, she has done so much better. She even recites it to us.

Add in my sharpie-tastic 2 minute sticker chart, stickers that we went to buy together at Family Dollar, and the prize of a cupcake at our favorite local Muddy's Bake Shop (where Aunt Jamie works!), and you have yourself some much improved bedtime (and naptime on the weekends) behavior.

I wouldn't say she is really "cured" or whatever, but we have definitely made significant positive progress.

We talked this up everyday, even encouraging her to tell others about her sticker chart and cupcake goal. She was very very proud yesterday of earning her pink cupcake.

One other thing: several months ago (probably 9 months even), I bought Juliette this Teach Me Time alarm clock that turns green when it's OK to get up. We did big girl bed really early (maybe too early) so I went ahead and sprung for this clock; as great as it's worked for helping her stay in bed in the morning, it had quit being a bedtime motivator. I still recommend it very highly!

Go sticker charts and good friends who suggest them!


Ooh! Real quick. My friend Lauren Crabtree is doing a fun giveaway, and our 2014 planner is one of the items. Check it out if you haven't!