Monday, May 30, 2011

Bribery for under 5's 101


So, after a long period of study, completing my Master's in Clinical Psychology as well as a Degree in Physics, to particularly study Quantum Mechanics. I think I may just have learned what it takes to bribe my two children to clean up after themselves.
I have learned that the thing they begged me for yesterday, may not neccessarily hold any fascination today, ie:


Thursday:


-"Mum! Mum! Can we buy some chocolate donuts with chocolate sprinkles?!"
-"No!"
-"Please Mum. I'll DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE if I don't have one!"
-"No!"

Friday:

(After asking, threatening and cajoling for 3 hours)

-"If you guys pick up all the blocks that you've strewn around the loungeroom, and even scrape the melted ones off the heater, I'll buy you a chocolate donut with chocolate sprinkles".
-"*sigh*.... nah..."

So instead of folding and accepting the old adage "If you can beat them, join them (together with a roll of gaffa tap)", have finally learned to offer them something they never thought they wanted.

The equation goes a little something like this...









They may not have realised that they wanted to go to the park this afternoon, but now, thanks to many years of studying the human mind, quantum mechanics, rocket science, Oprah, and with a bit of blind luck and mother's inutition- they do!
Chalk another one up to Mum!







Does bribery work with your kids all the time?









5 comments:

Moodi Mumma said...

Haha loved your therum.... unfortunately no not always in our home lol

A Daft Scots Lass said...

I'm a chocolate sprinkled doughnut and you're an inorganic adhesive, so whatever verbal projectile you launch in my direction is reflected off of me, returns to its original trajectory and adheres to you.

Get it?

Theoretic Physics is simple, didn't you know?

Voluptacon said...

Hehehe! Maybe I should offer them polymerized tree sap as an incentive!


Moodi Mumma: there must be some kind of universal bribing technique we can use!

Lene said...

Lollies....does the trick everytime. I feed my kids about trillion a day just so I can get stuff done....sigh!

Apple Island Wife said...

Earlier this week I told my two if they did the vacuuming we'd go to the maze for an ice cream. That worked. And it was worth it. I hate vacuuming.
We're half way through school hols here, desparate measures are permissible.