WFMW: Rewarding good behavior at the store
Every once in awhile, if my kids behave exceptionally well while grocery shopping, I like to reward them with a special, unexpected treat. It happens so infrequently that they don’t really expect it, which makes it all the more fun.
I’m sure every mom out there has been tempted to reward their kids with the tempting and easy-to-reach impulse candy buys in the check-out lane. Something about having four kids five and under and out of reach in the van has curbed any desire I had to reward with chocolate candy, which also makes our dentist very happy.
I went through a brief phase of allowing the boys to pick out Match-box or Hot Wheel cars. They’re less than a dollar and they play with them endlessly…. It was a good deal until I realized how long it takes them to choose one. Ugh!
Alas! I’ve finally figured it out.
When my kids are uber-good, I take them into the pharmacy section and stand in front of all the colorful kids bandages! Then I tell them, “You guys have to work together and pick just one box!”
It’s a win-win situation. We can always use Band-Aids at our house (especially with Brady around) and they think they’re getting something really special, like Spiderman or Dora the Explorer in a box.
Try it… you’ll see! The kids will love it and so will you. Works for me!
While I have your attention, can I ask for some help on another matter? I’ve had three home-births and one super-early emergency hospital birth. I’m due with baby #5 in about 7 weeks and am starting to pack my bags. What things should I pack? What do I really need? What must I have? Please help!
For more great Works for Me Wednesday tips, head on over to Shannon’s blog and check it out.
January 29th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
What do you NEED? Nothing that can’t be brought to you the day you leave. What did I want?? The best thing we brought was our i-pod & portable speakers. My husband made several birthing mixes & we played music the whole time I was in labor. It was so great.
I also brought tolietries- shampoo, toothbrush, hairdryer, deodorant, brush & my makeup. And my own pillow. Hospital pillows of so flimsy & flat. And slippers & a boppy.
January 29th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
i don’t mess around with all the fluff. I just packed my bathroom supplies (soap, toothbrush, etc) pjs, camera and clothes to come home in (for you and baby)
They have everything else that you’d need.
now, that is my memory after 4 years. i could be forgetting something super important. oh, and my births only lasted 30 minutes each so I didn’t need any birthing stuff.
have fun. you know it’s worth it.
January 29th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
We do that too or they get a toothbrush. I know these rewards won’t last forever but they are good while they last.
January 30th, 2008 at 12:46 am
The hospital will provide everything you NEED, but you should bring anything you WANT such as music or reading material. Hospitals are noisy and sometimes the nurses like to keep your room lights on so they can keep a better eye on you. Last time I found myself so sick I landed in the hospital I asked my husband to bring me a night mask and ear plugs. I was able to sleep almost like a baby. All previous hospital stays had been sleep torture and you’ll get enough sleepless nights at home with the new baby, so you should get as much sleep as you possibly can during your 2 or 4 day hospital stay. Don’t worry the nurses will still wake you up several times during the night.
Best wishes to you and the baby.
January 30th, 2008 at 6:58 am
Great idea! I’ll try this out soon.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:43 am
I love the bandaids-as-a-reward idea. This would work really well for my 3 year old. She loves all bandaids.
As for what to pack, there really is nothing you absolutely must take. The hospital has pretty much everything you will need. But here are a few things I never left home without: my own pillow, a couple sets of loungewear (the gowns got old after about 10 minutes), my own toiletries (even make-up - made me feel more put together even though I was tired) & my nursing pillow.
I’ll stop back by if I think of something else. Congratulations & God Bless!
January 30th, 2008 at 8:25 am
That is a great idea! I’ll have to remember it when my children get older.
I highly recommend packing your own toilet paper. Yeah, the hospital provides it, but Charmin is so much softer! After delivery, you really don’t want to have to use that harsh hospital toilet paper!
January 30th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Great tip! If only we could get as far as the bandaid aisle before someone loses the possibility of reward!
For the hospital: deodorant and playing cards!
January 30th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Nice idea!
For the hospital: Your own feminine pads. The hospital-grade stuff they’ll supply you is like rough cardboard.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Socks - hospitals are COLD. Chapstick and good lotion. You’ll want to take a shower at some point and hospital supplies are fairly industrial (no 1/4 moisturizing cream in THEIR soap).
I bring reading material or crossword puzzles also. Some kind of easy makeup/lipstick because you’ll keep those pictures forever!
Pillow is a must - hospital pillows ALSO are covered in plastic so they are crunchy and make noise.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:01 am
When my daughter was young, her reward was normally a ride on those kid rides out in front of the store. We bought a LOT of band-aids for play, though! I would spend $2 on a box and it would give her two hours of play while I did a major overhaul on the house or took a bath where I actually was able to shave my legs or something equally important.
For the hospital, I would say:
Chapstick!!!!
As much or as little make-up as you think you’ll actually use.
Houseshoes
Soft, warm, socks (if they have the grippers on bottom, you won’t need houseshoes.)
Nursing bras and nightgowns (if you have a bra without wire, they’ll let you keep it on.)
Snacks for after, because you don’t want your family to have to make a fastfood run for you when you find the hospital food is lacking.
Something to do when the baby is asleep after. You will be SO bored!
January 30th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Your blog is so adorable. Great tips
I would bring a pillow and blanket from my own bed. Much more comfortable. A camera, don’t forget that. Chocolate
Slippers.
Nursing bars?
Jillian
January 30th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
boppy & socks. Nursing bra. Laptop. Those were my “needs.”
Congratulations!
January 30th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
I just gave birth to my second child two months ago, so this is very fresh in my mind! I took slippers, my own pillow, make-up, chapstick, brush, bathrobe, and music. I agree with taking your own pads, the ones they supply aren’t the most wonderful. Don’t forget the camera also!
As for the band-aid reward it’s a great idea. Even my six year old still loves “his own” band-aids.
January 30th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Flip flops for the shower and a robe.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
I’m due in about 7 weeks also - March 21st. I’ve been working on my list too! =) Actually, at our birth class, we were supposed to bring our fully packed bag, but I just wasn’t ready… I brought my list and an empty bag instead.
I know that you can get by with very few things, but personally, I’d rather be over prepared than under. You never know how long you might be there, or what exactly you will want while you are there.
Here is my list… for real - I went to my spreadsheet and pasted it over for you. If you make your list and you think I’m missing something, please let me know!
I did edit out our names… my real list specifies that I want to bring clothes, food, toiletries, etc. for my husband as well.
I’m birthing at a birthing center, so some of these things (food, swim trunks, etc.) might be different than at a hospital. Although, I do recommend bringing food for your husband and for yourself after the birth. I’d bring vending machine change too!
I’ve been debating about the boppy or nursing pillow. It seems like a big extra thing to bring, but at the same time, I think as I’m first learning to feed, I’d want the logistics to be the same as they will be at home. I’d hate to have it go well at the birth center, and then have problems at home just because I changed pillows and stuff.
THE list:
List of people to call / email
Puke bags for car (recommended at our birthing class)
Plastic to sit on in car (recommended at our birthing class)
Food - snacks
Drinks
Cash to get more food
Music on MP3
Birth ball
Towel/blanket on birth ball
Pajamas
Eye glasses
Cell phones w/ charger
Laptop
Camera
Extra memory cards
Ex. batteries for camera & MP3
Candles
Pictures to set out
Insurance cards
DVDs
Games
Pillows (not white)
Socks
Comfies / sweats for hubs
Hubs swim trunks
Lip balm
Hair clips / headband
Tennis ball / Raquet ball
Shower supplies
Toiletries
Lotion
Depends (freeze)
Going home outfit / pajamas
Nursing bra
Fresh clothes for hubs
Boppy pillow
Cardstock for hand/foot prints
Signed copy of birthplan
Baby’s going home outfit
Car seat, with instructions
January 31st, 2008 at 7:28 am
I like that idea! These are my must haves for the hospital. I’m sure they’ve been mentioned, but here goes: Robe, slippers that are washable, own underwear, nursing bra, music, 2 of your own pillow in cases that are definitely not hospital issue, camera, shower stuff that smells good, and cribbage.
Make sure you sneak into conversation several times that this is NOT your first baby whether in L&D or Post Partum. I had a great nurse in PP that left me alone at night b/c she knew I knew the drill. I got more sleep and I took advantage of the nursery. I knew that I needed to be the best I could be when I got home.
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
I’ve never had a hospital birth, but I would say…cheesecake and a personal massage therapist. That’s all.
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
That previous post is actually from me, not Tim. Talking about never having had a hospital birth! He’s never given birth at all!
But definitely great food should be on the list. Diet Pepsi, Big Mac, and a good shampoo. I’m totally shooting in the dark here. I can only imagine it will be like packing an entire family to go on vacation.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:22 pm
[...] written before about how I allow my children to choose a box of “fun bandages”at the store as a reward for especially good behavior. We use the bandages anyway, and they think [...]