A Sticker Chart for Moms

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sticker chart for momsI recently made my 4 1/2 year old a sticker chart for morning and bedtime.

The sticker charts were my cry for help after riding the proverbial struggle bus at the beginning and end of each day for an embarrassing number of days.

My daughter and I both have a stop-and-smell-the-roses mentality (some might recognize it as ADD, tomato tomahto), so getting things done quickly or on time is not our strong suit, especially when we’re together.

Since I’m the adult, I have to take responsibility for myself and do adult things like “shower” and “go to work.” On top of that I have to “make breakfast” and “argue about which room in the house the preschooler will put her pants on in and which level of assistance she’ll require.”

In case you’re not catching my drift, mornings were especially frustrating.

Bedtime had its own set of struggles because post-bedtime is the only time of day my husband and I have at home to be productive or, more preferably, relaxed and unproductive. 

The sticker charts have been a success since implementation two nights ago. 

Our daughter goes through her checklist, proudly puts stickers each box, and flies through her tasks without argument. (Well, mostly without argument–the stickers didn’t change the fact that she’s a strong-willed child). She gets a reward for every 30 stickers (which sounds like a lot, but that’s only 2 1/2 days).

Examples of rewards include: a trip to the bookstore, family ice cream date, a new Shopkin, a movie night, or a new craft we can do together. She is showing off her goal-oriented little brains, and I enjoy seeing her sense of accomplishment.

After all this, I had an exciting revelation.

I, TOO, COULD BENEFIT FROM A STICKER CHART.

Because I do not suck at life, even though I convince myself otherwise at times, and I DO have the ability to do the things I would like to do. And as a goal-oriented person myself, having a reward to work toward adds an element of excitement and accomplishment to my routine.

A few of the things I’d put on my sticker chart include: eating more vegetables, exercising regularly, not losing my patience [in the morning/at bedtime/anytime], not blowing off my friends’ texts, and not ignoring my kids to be on social media. 

With the help of my fellow Des Moines Moms Blog Contributors, I created our very own “momified” sticker chart. You can tailor the tasks and rewards to fit your needs and motivations, but together, we can de-board the insane plane and start dominating our mom life. 

This sentiment makes me think of Catch This Mama, another Iowa blogger, who has been trying to get out the word on Instagram and her podcast to #ownyourmomlife. Perhaps the sticker chart method isn’t for you, but the important thing to know is this:

As moms we are capable of accomplishing the small things that feel impossible. And we are capable of accomplishing great things, too!

mom's sticker chart | Des Moines Moms Blog

Mom’s Sticker Chart

(Feel free to print using the link above!)

So, tell me—what would you put on your sticker chart?

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