How to Make a Listening Chart

Positive reinforcement has become the preferred method for teaching children good behavior. In order for them, however, to behave well they must know in advance what specific behavior is expected of them. Making a listening chart does just that. Follow these easy steps and motivate your child to self-discipline.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Poster board
• Paint
• Sprinkles

1. Involve the child in creating the listening chart. Set aside at least one hour of time to sit down with the child for this process. Discuss good behavior in general and how listening well aids good behavior. Find out what the child perceives to be good behavior.
2. Tell the child to list what specific tasks he believes the parent requires. Also have the child identify how often these tasks must be completed and why the tasks are important. The parent also lists necessary specific tasks and the reasons. Discuss the two lists with the child.
3. Decide on which tasks to include in the chart. Also decide on a reward system. Describe the rewards as specifically as the tasks. Conceive a master reward after a certain amount of individual rewards has been accumulated.
4. Begin constructing the chart. Use art supplies such as poster board, paints and sprinkles that make the chart visually appealing to the child. Put the child's name in the title, such as "Kaitlyn's Listening Chart." Include any personal favorite special effects such as pictures of horses or baseballs.
5. Divide the chart into columns and rows. Separate the rows into two main sections, daily positive behaviors and daily negative behaviors. Divide the columns into days of the week. Make a separate column to tally points for individual rewards and the master reward.
6. Choose who tracks the daily behavior on the chart, the child, the parent or both. Decide how many points each task performed correctly is worth. Also determine how many points to subtract when the child does not perform as expected. Complete the process by selecting a master reward that the child receives when she accumulates a total of 100 reward points.