The Swap

I got an idea from an old Family Fun magazine about counting acts of kindness with dried beans during the season of Lent, and then swapping out the beans for jelly beans Easter morning. I didn't find this idea until this week, so I decided to tweak it in order to stretch the candy over the week of spring break (which for us is after Easter this year). I watched my kids inhale a basket of goodies that my Mom had given them and decided this rationing was the way to go until we have a little more self-restraint.

Instead of filling their baskets with candy, I put a few things in and am doling the others out bean by bean.

This is along the lines of "caught you being good".

You did what I asked without complaining, put a bean in your jar.

You remembered to make your bed and put you clothes away without me nagging. Put five beans in your jar.

Then, each night, I swap out the dried beans for jellybeans, or m&m's, or whatever small candies I have in my secret stash. I think the variety will help keep the momentum once the novelty wears off. At least I hope so.

Maybe we'll even make it a whole week together with a little more kindness!