Mombux: How It Works
I have always tried to keep an eye out for the best leverage with each of my kids; it's different with each one. However, junk food is a universal kid language. That's why this system is so genius. It works for everyone, big and small! AND when my world is caving in around me, I have access to all of this good coping junk food!! Haha!
So here's how it works.
Do chores, get Mombux.
Spend Mombux in the snack bar.
I don't keep track of Mombux. I know who earns them and who doesn't. For the most part we use the honor system. (which has come back to bite me in the hiney a few times, but I can't keep track of these details, and it isn't that important to me.) But, if I think someone is lying, I ask how they earned their Mombux. That may trigger my memory, or it may not. It's a little bit of accountability.
I don't have a chart of what each chore is worth.
Here's an idea of the value of some chores at my house.
Vacuum: 10
Fold laundry: 10
Change a diaper: 10
Quick pick up a room: 10
Taking out trash: 10
Get my purse out of another room: 5
Babysitting 1 hour: 25
Babysitting 4 hours: 100
Completing chores on time: 100
Getting something out of the car: 10
You can TOTALLY set yourself up with a chart, which I highly recommend. On Fridays when everyone wants a soda, they can just look at the chart, choose some work, and do it knowing that their prize awaits them! (*Note to self: make a chart of what chores are worth.)
Every Friday we do chores. I have a schedule of who cleans what, so Tre can look at the schedule on Friday morning and see that he's supposed to clean the bathrooms. He also knows that if he gets all the bathrooms cleaned before Saturday at noon, he gets 100 Mombux to spend in the snack bar.
I DO know what the snacks are worth.
Can of soda: 50
Bottle of soda: 100
Bag of chips: 50
Candy bar: 100
Package of Oreos: 100
Pop Tarts: 100
Easy Mac: 100
I have 4 candy jars.
Skittles: $0.01
Gummy Bears: $0.05
Starburst: $0.10
Airheads $0.25
The great thing about these snacks is that I would normally buy them on a "special occasion" basis, which means the kids would eat gobs of this junk food just because we have it in the cabinet. With this system in place, it rations the treats.
The goal of this system is to motivate kids to work with a good attitude and also to teach self-motivation. My dream is for my crew to see something that needs to be done, do it, and do it well to completion. We're not quite there. BUT I have seen lots of improvement in attitudes regarding work.
Good luck with systems in your house! I'm happy to help if you want to give this a go and have any questions!!
lvb
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