Will the Behavior Change Stick?

Over the last few weeks, the boys have gotten really bad about getting out the door for “school”. They haven’t been listening, they argue, and sometimes throw tantrums. So, yesterday, we told that them that based on their behavior they were no longer getting TV before school until they could prove to us that they would listen. I reminded them again last night that they were not getting TV in the morning. I had a few grumblings and Brady repeatedly asking “Why?”.

This morning, Connor woke up early, visited with us while we were getting ready, and then he and daddy got Brady up. They were sitting on the couch waiting for their breakfast snack (and I assumed waiting for TV) when Connor said “We don’t get TV this morning, but we will listen when you tell us it is time to go to school and then we get our TV back”. They then went on to choose puzzles to work on while waiting. Connor repeated the “good behavior” throughout the morning while clarifying that they would get their TV back for listening. He even went to school and told every teacher he saw about the good behavior will earn his TV back.

They handled it better than I expected. Now the question is – will this behavior change stick? Do they understand that if it happens again, the TV is gone again? Should I force a day where they don’t get TV in the morning, since it allowed them to work on other things before school? There may be a follow up to come….