The Behavior Jar

As promised, here is the explanation of the Behavior Jar.
I got the idea from a woman named Amy. Here's the link to her post if you want to read about it: http://regularwithhalfandhalfandrawsugar.blogspot.com/2008/09/return-of-m-jar.html

Anyway, the jist is that you use this idea if you want to mix up the discipline in your household. It really wears me thin to have to repeat myself 100 times, raise my voice, and threaten to whip out "Mr. Sad Spoon" when my 2 younger darlings aren't being...well...darlings. Caitlin is always good-seriously. She has rarely ever pushed me to the point of grouchiness. God gave me the easy one first, I'm convinced. :)
Christian, although he is a wonderful, fun, loving little boy, can be a complete handful and then some. He's the main one that gets the stern Momma Voice, and he has been reacting in a very non-socially acceptable way to correction lately. So, after seeing the Behavior Jar, I decided to give it a try.
Here is what the setup looks like:
When Christian says/does something to either a parent or a sister that is less than pleasing (to put it nicely), he has to put 1 m&m in the sad jar. When he does something good like pick up his toys, share with his sisters, or minds his manners, he gets to put 1 m&m in the happy jar. At the end of the day, if the happy jar has more m&m's in it than the sad jar, he gets to eat the ones in the happy jar, and the ones in the sad jar get dumped back in to the main jar. If there are more in the sad jar than in the happy jar, he has to dump both jars of m&m's back into the main jar. Clear as mud, right?
On Day 1, I found out very quickly that this method is a winner. The first time I had to instruct Christian to put an m&m in the sad jar, he had a complete meltdown--alligator tears, screaming, and all. He just couldn't stand to do it. Seriously, folks--he freaked out on me. From that 1st sad m&m, he has completely changed his tune. In fact, he did so good today that he had 6 m&m's to eat this evening before bed! He was so thrilled. I HIGHLY recommend this method for children his age (in the 3 to 5 range).
Apparently Caroline is still too young for it. In fact, she's just now getting the concept that Momma means business when I tell her no. She does, however, get an m&m each time she goes potty, or if she picks up toys like a good little helper. Of course I don't leave Caitlin out. She's too old for this game, but she does get to eat the same amount of m&m's as Christian at the end of the day--that is if all her homework is finished and the chores are taken care of without me nagging her.
It's been complete bliss in the Haskell household lately thanks to the Behavior Jar and some yummy m&m's---which I would know nothing about.