Well worth the 30 tickets

Cortlan has not shown much interest in learning to ride a bike.  Whether he was nervous, intimidated, or just plain didn't care, I don't know.  But it took no time at all with the promise of 30 tickets (and the thought of redeeming them for a trip to the Children's Museum) for him to get it all figured out.

We started him off with some practice at just coasting down the driveway and getting a feel for balancing the bike with no training wheels.  With his seat lowered so that he could easily reach the ground, and his pedals removed, all he had to do was enjoy the ride down hill.  Once he got that figured out, we replaced the pedals and told him to just use them to rest his feet on them as he coasted.  He instinctively pedaled them anyway.  The final challenge was getting it all to work on flat and then an uphill grade.  In one day, Cortlan was riding his bike without training wheels.  Way to go, buddy!!

Taking it to the park...next time, I will have to have a scooter or bike; I couldn't keep up!

Summer Learning Ticket System

Knowing my shortcomings, I decided to let my kids hold me somewhat accountable for their learning this summer.  Yesterday, we implemented a Summer Learning ticket system.  My theory is this: If they know they are getting something out of it, they will have the motivation to initiate the process, whereas I would otherwise forget, blow it off, or seem like a nag about yet another thing.

The kids each decorated their ticket envelopes and journals, and we were on our way.  There are many ways to earn tickets: 1 ticket for writing a journal entry or reviewing sight words or completing a worksheet from the summer bridge book.  1 ticket if they clean up after themselves before bed without needing to be reminded.  30 bonus tickets for learning to ride a bike with no training wheels (a one time offer).  And a few more, as well.

Deciding what they could "purchase" with their tickets was much more challenging.  Seeing what they decided to do with their tickets on Day 1 was somewhat enlightening.

An incomplete list of examples of what can be purchased: 2 tickets will buy a 30-minute television program.  8 tickets gets a movie and popcorn at home.  15 tickets may be traded in for a Build a Bear outfit (hand-me-downs that are like new from someone we know) or Lego figurines or a trip to get ice cream.  30 tickets gets a trip to the Children's Museum or Chuck E. Cheese.  (We figured that learning to ride a bike was worth that reward.)

What did I think would happen?  I thought the kids would each earn 4-5 tickets.  I thought they would spend 2 and save the others in hopes of earning a bigger prize someday.

What happened?  The kids each earned 3 tickets in the morning.  Cortlan promptly spent 2 so he could watch Phineas and Ferb.  Everly's eyes lit up when she realized that she could spend hers on Band-Aids (if there was an actual boo-boo, she wouldn't get charged) and she promptly spent 2 on a Band-Aid that she plastered across her forehead.

Later in the afternoon, they each earned 1 more ticket as we did a "Sink or Float" activity.  They chose objects and wrote down in their journals whether they thought the objects would sink or float.  Then we tried the experiment and they recorded the results.  They enjoyed the activity.  Cortlan now had 2 tickets - enough for another TV show - and he spent them.  Everly now has 2 tickets in savings.

Cortlan asked to have his training wheels off and is now more motivated than ever to learn to ride his bike.  It will be interesting to see what he does with the 30 tickets...a trip to the Children's Museum (which he has been begging for) or 15 TV shows.  Tough call.  Everly is not much into TV.  I guess I better stock up on Band-Aids.

Weekend recap

Friday was the last day of school for the kids, but the first day that John and I had off for the summer.  We took full advantage and had a great day together...we needed that.

Saturday was full of fun.  The group that I co-sponsor at school had raised money for Alex's Lemonade Stand (to help fight childhood cancer) in the spring.  Our local Alex's hosted a great event full of fun for the whole family, at which the president of the Actors' Society accepted a very nice award for our fundraising.  I had to be there for that, so why not bring the whole family?  Pizza and rides, face paint and Storm Troopers.  And raising funds for a wonderful cause.  What more can you ask for?

We ended Saturday with a family birthday party, also full of fun.  The kids donned their swimsuits and got to go down a huge inflatable slide that was made into a water slide.  They jumped on the trampoline.  They got balloon animals made for them.

Sunday wasn't quite as much fun...I shrunk two of my favorite shirts because I forgot to lay them to dry and instead tossed them in the dryer.  I butchered my bangs.  (It was bound to happen at some point, but did it really have to happen just before I need to get my driver's licence taken?  Guess I will eek that one out til the end, hoping that the bangs will grow back quickly.)  I realized that my kids aren't big fans of yard work, which is going to be a problem, because they will be helping around here.  And they did, after a while and much frustration.

But Sunday ended on a high note...a nice dinner on the deck, a bike ride around the neighborhood.  Smiles and laughter as Everly told us we can call her "Miss Beautiful."

And today is our family's official start of summer.  And I am ready to squeeze everything I can out of it...

Let's go summer!!