Behavior Chart Printables
We have been using these behavior charts in our home for quite some time with our then-2 year old (now 3) and then-5 year old (now 6). These behavior charts have worked very well for us because they incorporate both negative and positive reinforcement.
HOW THEY WORK
First, it’s important to sit down with your child and discuss “green choices” (choices that are kind, respectful, loving, etc.) and “red choice” (choices that are unkind, disrespectful, unloving, etc.). Give concrete examples of these and even find a visual aid or make your own to go along with it so your young children can see what is expected of them.
Second, explain the chart. Decide if your consequences will add up all day or if you will have one for the morning and one for at night. Explain the mark system. In our home, any act of violence is an automatic “mark” which means they get a check in the “red choices” boxes. If we ask them to stop doing thing and have to ask more than 2 times, that is also a mark. And then, for each child, certain behaviors such as screaming, talking back, throwing things, etc. are automatic marks because they are things we are working on with that specific child.
Third, decide what the consequences will be. For us, if a child gets three marks in the morning, they do not get TV before lunch. If they get three marks in the afternoon/evening, they do not get dessert. Make it work for your family and make sure to choose things your child will actually care about. You can have different consequences for different children.
Fourth, explain the reward system. The printable comes with a sheet of sticker charts you can cut out and tape on to the chart. When your child receives five stickers, they can choose a reward. For us, the rewards are 15 minutes of screen time, choosing snack for the day, one-on-one time with Mom or Dad, a piece of candy, a Dollar Tree trinket, as well as a few others. They LOVE getting their fifth sticker. For us, they earn stickers for certain behaviors we have been working on such as staying in bed until their clock turns green in the morning, staying in bed at bedtime, using their words instead of hurting one another, etc. Feel free to reward whatever you see fit.
Then, decide together on a big prize once either your individual child fills up a certain number of sticker charts, or once all the children in your home fill up their sticker charts (this helps build teamwork). For us, we let them choose a small inexpensive toy at Target, go out for ice cream, have a mommy-daughter or daddy-daughter date, stay up late and watch a movie, etc.
WHY THIS SYSTEM WORKS WELL
This system has worked well in our home because it makes rewards and consequences easy for the kids to understand and easy for us to implement. We don’t have to try to come up with a natural consequence in the moment when one doesn’t make sense and we don’t have to get into power struggles (most of the time). The chart pretty much works on its own once it’s been implemented for a while.