Life Changing,Temporarily

I am always on the look out for the one thing that will change everything. This "thing" will make my kids obedient and responsible, it will make me super productive and get Robert a raise. Sometimes I even have delusions that this "thing" will cut my laundry in half and clean windows.

At the beginning of the summer, the "thing" was RewardBoard.com. I downloaded this little miracle in a matter of seconds for only $29.99. The testimonials claimed what I already knew...that it would change my life.

The Reward Board is like a chore chart, except on the computer. And it was great...for two weeks. The kids haven't so much as clicked on it since.

Before the Reward Board it was the Family Home Evening Chart. This was going to bring reverence, order and participation to our Family Home Evenings. It was also going to make the lessons magically appear in my lap 2 minutes before Family Home Evening. While the latter never happened, we did have some form of FHE order...for two weeks.

My latest "thing" is this:
This product is called Time Tracker Tags. Each of the 3 timers can be monitored at the base. They have belt clips and wrist bands for portability. I can hand one to a child who is on his way out the door to play at a friends house, telling him to be home in 45 minutes. His timer will be set and I can monitor it on the base so I know when time's up.

Other uses: Practice your piano for 20 minutes, 30 minutes of screen time, take a 5 minute time out! Oh, I can tell this thing is really the "thing" this time. Life will get easier, kids will become more obedient, their rooms will be clean, I won't have to remind them to brush their teeth...Bliss.

Or, at least it will be bliss for 2 weeks and you know what? I'll take it.