Scorch is an uncomplicated guy. If you want him to do something, all you really have to do is whip up a sticker chart, tell him he has to get so many stickers for doing whatever you’d like him to do and then give him a present when he does.  It really doesn’t matter what you give him- a gumball, a bouncy ball or a football.  All he cares about is that it’s new and it’s his.  This technique worked when he was 18 months old and it still works now at almost 5 years old- the carrot of more stickers leading to a toy will almost always guarantee his cooperation.

I have yet to figure out what Bean’s carrot is  which is a giant pain in the rear when trying to potty train her.

She really doesn’t get excited about things- stickers, toys- like Scorch does.  While she loves chocolate as much as the next girl, she doesn’t love it enough to do something she doesn’t want to.  Outings to an exciting place- bounce house, science museum, Applebees- are a lot of fun but still not enough.

I cannot for the life of me figure out what makes this child tick. While I don’t do this while trying to potty training her, I have resorted to time-outs or threats of taking toys away to force her into helping me or picking up a mess she made.  Nada. She really doesn’t care.  She just digs in her heels and will not budge until she’s good and ready- there is simply no combination to her.

Her teenage years should be a blast!