DuckyBoy and the Jar of Bottle Caps

DuckyBoy was very excited when I picked him up from school yesterday -- "My teacher has something to show you!" he said.

And sure enough, she did -- a large plastic soup container (like from a deli) with a few bottle caps (like from bottles of water and soda) in the bottom.

Each time DuckyBoy does a good thing, he gets a bottle cap -- teachers and classmates can put in a cap. And when the container is full, he gets to be Citizen of the Month!

He's waay excited. I'm impressed and delighted that they chose to start it the day before the next winner of the award gets announced (today); this way he has a tangible reminder that it can become real for him, too. I wonder if the winner today will be another of his friends -- that was really difficult for him a couple of months ago.

And what a stinker he is -- yesterday was the first day, and he got like 10 caps! When the behavior that needs to be changed is pointed out to him, and he knows and wants the reward, he KNOWS how to do the right thing.

The same with sleeping in his own bed -- he can stay out of my room for as many nights as it takes to earn whatever reward -- it used to be a trip on the AirTrain when his preschool was right there in Jamaica. But as soon as he got the reward, he'd revert to his old ways. Stretching it out too long didn't work -- he'd just forget, or give up. I hope that doesn't happen here. I bet it won't -- I think they've got a good plan.

And his teacher also said to him, when the jar fills up and he gets the award, they can work toward something else.

He wants one at home, too, "but not with bottle caps," he said. I was thinking maybe pennies. And I can think of a lot of things he can earn them for, too. But, now, what to work toward, hmm!