The in home people have come up with a new thing they want us to try with difficult child. At first they wanted us to try and do a level system but decided that would be too difficult for our difficult child. They wanted something really simple for him.
Wednesday we started the program. He gets a chip (like a poker chip) for every half hour he can go with being respectful and kind. He also gets a chip for taking his medications within the first 10 seconds he is asked to. He can also earn chips for extra chores if we want. That's the gist of it-he can earn for a few other things, like doing something the first time asked.
To do much of anything he has to spend his chips. A half hour of t.v. costs a chip. A half hour of Wii costs two chips. A half hour of computer costs three chips. A soda costs five chips. Those are a few examples but you get the idea.
Tuesday he was complaining he wouldn't do the program. Tonight he told me he loves it. He has actually started taking his medications with no problems. He was in the middle of a movie when I asked him to take his late afternoon medications. At first he said, wait a second, then (without me saying anything) he changed his mind and got right up to take the medications so he could earn a chip.
It's too early to tell how this will work (there have been times he has earned chips and others not). It surely isn't a cure all but hopefully it will help. Keep your fingers crossed!
One extra thing, I actually received a note from his case manager today saying how great of a study skills period he had yesterday. He did a good job of transitioning from activities to study time and when he had earned free time on the computer instead of playing he helped the preschool child of another staff member get on the computer and play. She said it made her day! How cool is that?
Wednesday we started the program. He gets a chip (like a poker chip) for every half hour he can go with being respectful and kind. He also gets a chip for taking his medications within the first 10 seconds he is asked to. He can also earn chips for extra chores if we want. That's the gist of it-he can earn for a few other things, like doing something the first time asked.
To do much of anything he has to spend his chips. A half hour of t.v. costs a chip. A half hour of Wii costs two chips. A half hour of computer costs three chips. A soda costs five chips. Those are a few examples but you get the idea.
Tuesday he was complaining he wouldn't do the program. Tonight he told me he loves it. He has actually started taking his medications with no problems. He was in the middle of a movie when I asked him to take his late afternoon medications. At first he said, wait a second, then (without me saying anything) he changed his mind and got right up to take the medications so he could earn a chip.
It's too early to tell how this will work (there have been times he has earned chips and others not). It surely isn't a cure all but hopefully it will help. Keep your fingers crossed!
One extra thing, I actually received a note from his case manager today saying how great of a study skills period he had yesterday. He did a good job of transitioning from activities to study time and when he had earned free time on the computer instead of playing he helped the preschool child of another staff member get on the computer and play. She said it made her day! How cool is that?
