Reverence Smiles

Last Sunday, I had quite a wrestle with all my 4 youngest kids during sacrament meeting.

As my mom would say, "we looked like a zoo."

My kids were so irreverent and I was trying to stay calm and kind.

After about half way through, I grabbed them all by the hand 

and pulled the whole row off and marched them home,

mouthing to Donny on the stand that I was DONE!

A few of them I didn't even allow to come back for primary.

Donny's advice after church was that I go back to the smilie chart.

We used to do this when our girls were little, but I had forgotten.

(I often expect my younger kids to do what my older ones do.)

So, this week I was prepared and it went AWESOME.

Every 5 minutes, I give them a smile or a frown for how reverent they were during that time.

I also mark if they sang the songs.

Each smile is rewarded after church at home. 

(apple slices or 1 T. of dad's peanut butter shake are what we use!)

If they get 3 frowns, I take them out for a time out in a nearby classroom.

I was a much happier mom this week and I thought 

I would share for anyone else who has this same frustration.

WHEN PERFORMANCE IS MEASURED,

PERFORMANCE IMPROVES!