difficult child wants to work!!! Suggestions?

[Shari]

Wee difficult child has been really, really focused for 4 days on earning some money to buy something he saw in the window of a store a couple of weeks ago. Prior to this weekend, he'd been saving money, but Sunday he just had a lightbulb moment and started on a drive to earn it all. In addition to his regular chores (that he's been doing with minimal fuss, I might add), I've been offering extra chances to earn some money. He's loaded and unloaded the dishwasher, picked up the living room and tidied up (everyone's messes, not just his), hauled jars to and from the basement, took the garbage out, and last night, sorted all the laundry and started washing, drying, and folding it. He already had some money, and I think he's more than earned the additional $5 he needed, so pretty soon we'll go get whatever this thing is...

My question is, how to go about this next time this hits. I don't want him to think he can work only when he wants something...but I want to give him chances when he's motivated to achieve his goal, too. Four days to be this focused for wee difficult child is big stuff. Our washer takes 43 minutes per cycle, and when he hears the buzzer, he's on it, dragging the laundry into the living room where he can continue with whatever he was doing and fold the laundry. Its just been really cool watching him work like this, and I want to harness this and guide this the right way.

 

[DaisyFace]

Hi there!

We've always had good luck arranging for the kids to help the neighbors with simple chores. Raking leaves, picking up trash, shoveling snow...just odd jobs really. And because we were on really good terms with the neighbors, we've been able to ensure that the tasks would be suitable to the child's skill and attention level.

Mostly...it was great. And it made the kids feel like they had a "real" job where they had an opportunity to earn their own money (or other goodies as payment).

 

[klmno]

Wow! He can come to work for me!!

I took an opportunity like that with my son to throw in a small bonus if he identified a problem that was interfering with him doing what he was supposed to do and discussed it with someone and another small bonus if he proposed a solution and asked permission to implement it. I'm throwing that out because these just happened to be the issues I was working on with difficult child at the time. Maybe if there are speicific therpaeutic goals you are working on with your son, you could work this into a situation where he gets a small bonus if he achieves a little bit of it??

Just a thought....

 

[KTMom91]

I had daily chores set up for Miss KT to earn spending money, mostly for snack bar at school. She took out the garbage and the newspapers every day, and earned 50 cents a day. If she wanted to earn more, I came up with other things for her.

 

[Jena]

I agree with Kt, a chore list for him with-financial rewards. Than one with-chores that he just has to do to be a helpful part of the family. It's so cool he remained that focused over something he wanted and was so determined. very cool