Welcome to another Wondering Wednesday A/V. Today’s episode is a V—video!

In this video, I show parents how to use our new “Consequence Pies” ebook/download (one of last month’s freebies!). However, if you do not have the Consequence Pies product, stay with me!

The methodology in this download (available here at our store) can be used with or without the product, and I explain that protocol in this video! (Plus, you could make your own pies easily after watching the video.)

The idea behind the Consequence Pies is to take control of negative routine behaviors (as opposed to one of the Four D’s—check out that product here) that are developing or that have developed by putting the outcome back in your child’s hands—while giving grace and “chances” as needed.

Watch the first part closely—there are things that must be done on the parents’ part before using this approach: training, rewarding, follow through, and more. But once all of that is done, it is time for the child to decide “yes, I am going to do my homework every day before computer time” or “yes, I am going to take out the trash like I am supposed to every day”—or suffer consequences (that he chooses ahead of time) for not following through on that routine behavior that I have been taught.

Consequence Pies can be used to help your children learn to develop character in routine behaviors in the areas of responsibility, thoroughness, diligence, prioritizing, resourcefulness, cleanliness, organization, follow through, and more. They make character training black and white (as opposed to the gray method of “I told you no tv until your extra reading is done” or “Why do you always forget to take the trash down?”).

Furthermore,this protocol puts the choice to follow through on the positive behavior (or not to follow through) back onto the child. He marks the pie pieces if he decides not to comply. No questions. No grayness. Lastly, it offers grace and “chances” as the child is learning the behavior.
 

Watch this video on YouTube

Subscribe to us on YouTube!

The post Video: Using The Consequence Pies appeared first on Character Ink.

Aboard, about, above. Along, among, around….

Whether your kids sing them, recite them, chant them, rap them, or write them…prepositions are important.

I learned them in chant-like form when I was in school. However, I never knew WHY I needed to learn them.

My newest downloadable product will teach kids prepositions—in a way that focuses on the WHY, that is, what prepositions really do!

Before you get lost in the product description, click on the video to see me teaching about this amazing product:

Our kids (and we!) need to learn prepositions for a few important reasons:

(1) They are the beginning of prepositional phrases

(2) Prepositional phrases can be mentally eliminated from a sentence in order to get to the bare bones of the sentence…since the sentence’s main subject and main verb are not usually found in prepositional phrases

(3) Prepositional phrases are good to use as openers—especially lengthy ones—as they vary sentence structure and rhythm.

I’m all about songs, jingles, rhymes, recitation, and mnemonics for learning parts of speech (and really anything).

However, when prepositions are learned in songs or recitations, the real reasons for prepositions are overlooked. (Not to mention that they learn about thirty of the over two hundred prepositions….not enough memorized preps to adequately recognize them in sentences and use them for sentence openers!)

That is, students can chant a long list of words, but they do not know how to use them.

Enter my Preposition Practice Packet! I use tricks. I use check sentences. I even use toys (“Preposition Practice Pals”!) to teach prepositions (and practice them).

But all of the methods within this Preposition Practice Packet have one thing in common: they focus on the PURPOSE of the preposition—to show spatial relationships or time.

This 80 page practice packet has fifteen lessons (with student assignments) introducing prepositions in a systematic order: initial letter, with the practice pal, as opposites, as synonyms, as compound words, and more.

When you use this packet, your student will learn prepositions by the boatload—but they will also learn them for their purpose.

Note: If you like the Preposition Practice Packet, you will love the Think Fast Grammar Quiz and Answer Key!

Save

Save

Save

Save

The post Preposition Practice Packet Product Intro and Video! appeared first on Character Ink.

Dear Wondering Wednesday Friends,

I think I have finally figured out how to get my videos all uploaded (as long as each one is under fifteen minutes long). So…welcome to another Wondering Wednesday video!

I have audios as well as blog posts (as well as entire sessions of Raising Kids With Character seminar and homeschooling workshops) on The Four D’s of Behavior and Handling Heart Behaviors, but I think a video suits this topic well with the poster packs and worksheets we offer (by the same name).

In this video, I walk through the Handling Heart Behaviors Poster Pack and Worksheets to show you how to use these tools—and how to handle the Four D behaviors in your home (with or without the packet). (The packet was a freebie in March, but it can be purchased here.)

Watch Part I:

The store description of the packet will help you understand what the video contains as well:

“In this helpful parenting packet, Donna Reish (of Raising Kids With Character seminar, Homeschooling With Character seminar, and Character Ink Press and blog) offers three worksheets to help parents of tweens and teens work through some of the difficult heart behaviors (described in The Four D’s of Behavior podcast episode and Handling Heart Behaviors of Tweens podcast episode).

Watch Part II:

The worksheets included are designed to be used first by the parents (to determine ahead of time the behaviors that need changed and the way these behaviors will be handled) and then by the parents with the child. They help parents take these behaviors (disrespect, fighting, and disobedience) from gray (“Don’t talk to Mom like that”; “Quit fighting”; and “I’m not telling you again…go do it!”) to black and white (where everybody knows what is expected and what the consequences will be for infractions).

All of the worksheets have the same general steps (with spaces to fill in) to begin with:

(1) Make a list of unacceptable behaviors

(2) Make the list of consequences/plan for carrying them out

(3) Choose signaling words and phrases to be used when the offense is committed

(4) Determine what the appropriate/acceptable response from the child will be.

Additionally, each page has its own signaling words laid out for parents and child. The Disrespect Sheet has the “changing tone” signaling words in order to give the child a chance to change his tone and realize how he is speaking. The Disobedience Sheet has the “no response rule” with appropriate signaling words for that rule. Finally, the Fighting Sheet has the “no accusing signaling words” to help children change how they “tell on someone” and the “will you stop” signaling words to keep the request civil and circumvent potential fighting. These worksheets were developed after thirty-three years of Christian parenting—and they really work!”

Thank-you for your continued support!

Love and hope,

Donna

P.S. Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!

Links to check out:

Video: The Four D’s of Behavior Poster Pack

[Printable] Four D’s of Behavior Download

[Printable] Apology Posters

[Podcast] Ways to Spend More Time With Your Kids

[Podcast] 10 Tips for Staying Close During Intense Training Times

[Podcast] When to Give Chances and When to Take Action

The post [Video] Handling Heart Behaviors appeared first on Character Ink.

I continue to have technical difficulties with YouTube. I have recorded the Wondering Wednesday video “The Four D’s of Behavior” three times now (the past three weeks), and it still isn’t able to be fully uploaded.

I keep trying because I am starting to think it is really needed with all the problems!

So again, I give you a “re-run.”

However, I referred to this one several times in the Four D’s video, so I decided it would be a good one to leave with you this week—the video on Using Character Pies.

It describes how to use this tool—but it also describes how to tell the difference between routine behaviors/character behaviors and Four D ones a little. Seems like a good one before we get the Four D one!

So here is my re-run again. Pray for my technology skills!

Love and hope,
Donna

The post Video: How to Use the Consequence Pies appeared first on Character Ink.

Click here to download the printable Sample Checklist Challenge!

This video has Donna Reish, author of the Checklist Challenge method, teaching how to use the Checklist Challenge. The Checklist Challenge is included in nearly every writing project in every Character Ink Press book (including Character Quality Language Arts; Meaningful Composition; Write On, Mowgli; and Write On, Peter Pan). This sample one may be tweaked and used over and over again in classrooms, homeschools, and co-ops.

The Checklist Challenge has the following characteristics/benefits:

(1) Each task is given separately (i.e. not just a big master list with no explanation). The tasks are explained and samples are provided.

(2) The checklist has check boxes (one per paragraph) for each essay/report/story that you can customize to a certain project. It is clear that a paper has four paragraphs, so most of the task should be done four times—once per paragraph.

(3) The tasks are skills learned in grammar. Once a child learns how to use quotations, he should practice them immediately by putting them in his writing. The Checklist Challenge marries grammar and writing in a way that other programs do not.

(4) Coding instructions are given so that a student can be taught to code his additions and revisions for easy teacher-grading.

And so much more.

Subscribe to us on YouTube!

Save

The post Video: How to Complete the Checklist Challenge–Level I appeared first on Character Ink.

Pin these Chores for Tweens on Pinterest!

Click here for colorful, printable chore lists for toddlers through tweens.

If you want more chores, efficiency, and organization help, check out the podcast episodes listed here.

The post Age Appropriate Chores for Tweens [Pinnable Image] appeared first on Character Ink.

Find Out Your Kids’ Faves!

In my recent podcast, Ten Tips for Staying Close During Intense Training Times With Tweens and Teens, I talk about blessing and surprising your kids with little treats to bring in some fun—and make your child feel special. One way that you can keep track of each child’s favorite is to use some type of Kids’ Faves inventory/worksheet.

It just so happens that we have one for you—for free— to our newsletter subscribers. So if this sounds like something you need or want to use with your kids,scroll down to the end of this post, subscribe, download, print, and use!  (If you’re already a subscriber, go ahead and enter your email…you won’t get the newsletter twice, but you’ll still get the newsletter!)

If you don’t want to use our list, you can, of course, create your own.

Here are some tips for using such a list (from the front matter of our Kids’ Faves Worksheets):

This little tool is useful for many reasons:

(1)    It will help you with your Christmas shopping throughout the year (just pull completed sheets out if you see something on sale).
(2)    It will help you if you constantly forget (which one likes Rocky Road Ice Cream?).
(3)    It will help you plan little surprises along the way (which helps your child feel like you are thinking of him or her-because you are!).
(4)    It will help you get to know your child better.

Here are some tips for using it/implementing it: 

(1)    Have a family night in which everybody fills in all or part of it. (Since it is long, you could have them do the even questions one family night and the odd questions another family night.)

a.    Plan some things/foods, etc., that you THINK are kids’ faves … and after they turn in their sheets, tell them what you made and whose favorite you thought it was. (This is eye opening!)

b. Pass around the papers and have everybody fill them in (or half of them). We liked to do this type of thing while we listened to audio/radio dramas or fun music. Try to keep the kids from discussing as they are writing.

c. Have Mom or Dad collect them and read some answers here and there (depending on time available) and have people guess who wrote that. (This is eye opening too!)

d. Have the snacks you bought or prepared and vote on a family movie or play a family game.

(2)    Meet one on one with each child and fill it in with him or her. This helps the ones who can’t think of anything at the time since you are there to prompt them. This is especially good for younger kids or weak writers.
(3)    Make copies! Things get lost easily, and you want your kids to feel like this is important to you.
(4)    Be sure you tell them that you want to have this list to surprise them or for gift buying, etc., but tone it down a little if your kids are extremely thing-driven or have high expectations that you are ALWAYS bringing them home a Starbucks, etc. (Honestly, this works better with kids who are not over-indulged already.)
(5)    You can always get the lists out and use for dinner time discussions too. For example, “Let’s see if we can guess what Johnny’s favorite movie is,” etc. Or “I’m going to read the favorite candies lines, and we will guess whose page we think that is.” This is also a good way to help the kids focus on siblings and not just themselves.
(6)    Type this, print it, and keep each one in your purse or billfold (or scan it/take a picture of it, and store it on your phone). You want to have it at your fingertips.

Enter your email below to get the newsletter and the Kid’s Faves list for free!

Save

Save

Save

The post Product Highlight: Kid’s Faves appeared first on Character Ink.

Pin these Chores for Elementary Children on Pinterest!

Click here for colorful, printable chore lists for toddlers through tweens.

If you want more chores, efficiency, and organization help, check out the podcast episodes listed here.

The post Age Appropriate Chores for Elementary Ages appeared first on Character Ink.

Pin these Chores for Kindergarteners on Pinterest!

Click here for colorful, printable chore lists for toddlers through tweens.

If you want more chores, efficiency, and organization help, check out the podcast episodes listed here.

The post Age Appropriate Chores for Kindergarteners appeared first on Character Ink.

Pin these Chores for Preschoolers on Pinterest!

Click here for colorful, printable chore lists for toddlers through tweens.

If you want more chores, efficiency, and organization help, check out the podcast episodes listed here.

The post Age Appropriate Chores for Preschoolers appeared first on Character Ink.