Discipline Costs

I am sure all of you out there with multiple children NEVER have to intervene in squabbles over toys, clothes, snacks, someone touching someone else, etc.  At my house lately, I am really tired of my older two picking at one another.  Name calling has reached an annoying level and potty words are being hurled frequently.  I especially detest anyone calling someone else stupid.

SO - this mama decided to enact a new consequence and I wanted it to hit them where it hurts!

Blake is a saver when it comes to money.  He likes to put money from Grandma, the tooth fairy, etc. in his piggy bank and savings account.  If he goes to the store to spend money, it takes him forever to decide what to get. 

Armed with this knowledge, I decided on a new law.

For each time one of the boys says something unkind or ugly about one of their brothers, they have to put $.25 from their piggy bank into the brother's that they offended.  I announced this new "law" last night and told them it was their only warning.

This afternoon after school, one of the boys' started picking on the other one and Blake called Noah "stupid".  Fortunately, I actually remembered to enact a consequence (mommy brain + having a newborn = memory lapses) and immediately ordered Blake to go get a quarter from his bank and put it in Noah's. 

He stuttered around and tried to talk me out of it.  It didn't work.

I may have stumbled onto a very effective law!!!

So far, the rest of this evening has been smooth and no unkind words have been spoken :)

We'll see how long this lasts!


We also informed them money can be paid to Mommy & Daddy for disrespectful comments/back talk.  I HOPE I don't get any money out of this, but it may take a few payments to reign this in as well. 

What type of creative discipline have you enacted at your home?  Share with us!