Incentive Jar for Walking?

[Saille]

We've moved to a town where we can walk to just about everything. The library, the farmers' market, book stores, the LYS, etc.. I'm thinking anything in a one-mile range should automatically be non-car. Even our church and the university, both of which are across the river, are two miles away or less. By bike, that's no big deal. My plan is to finally teach the kids to ride and get pannier baskets to haul home any loot, but that's going to take a while. We lived on a 55 mph road in NY, and no one but me has a clue how to ride. For now, we walk.

 

When we lived in the country, gas was a significant portion of our budget. We can afford more classes, camps and fun stuff if we don't use our gas money.

 

I've never been good at incentive jars and sticker charts. Has anyone got an idea of how to set one up so that we can reward ourselves when we don't drive or penalize ourselves when we do?

[amey311]

Something simple would be marbles in a jar (we do this for chores) or stickers on a graph.

 

Do you have a wagon? While you're working on bike lessons, you could do some walking and use the wagon to haul things. I've also known people who keep the bike trailer (where toddlers ride) even after the children are too big for it because it can serve as a place to carry groceries or books.

[Julie Smith]

If your kids like going out the reward is going out. And if they don't walk then they don't go.

 

Then is how my kids built up there ability to go places via walking and biking. As the range expanded then so did the number of places to go.

[bettyandbob]

I'd just build it into the schedule. Monday is library day -- and leave enough time to walk to and from the library. Backpacks are better for walking and I used my backpack a lot on the bike too back when it was my main mode of transit.

 

If you build it into the schedule the kids will naturally get used to it. Then, when they reach an age that you decide they can do things independently, they will already know their way around and be able to just get to their friend's house or the library without you (OK now thinking about the possibility of kids getting to their things on their own is making me jealous of you). My dd 14 does walk some places on her own, but most of her friends are too far to walk.

[Saille]

If your kids like going out the reward is going out. And if they don't walk then they don't go.

 

Then is how my kids built up there ability to go places via walking and biking. As the range expanded then so did the number of places to go.

 

I'm not so much looking at it as a reward as a savings plan, a la A Chair For My Mother. It's a fun way to set aside what we're NOT spending on gas, not a reason for walking, per se.

[Rosie_0801]

If your kids like going out the reward is going out. And if they don't walk then they don't go.

 

Then is how my kids built up there ability to go places via walking and biking. As the range expanded then so did the number of places to go.

 

:iagree: You are the only one who gets to choose to take the car. They don't have a licence! Toddlers can walk several kilometres if they have a mind to, so I have trouble believing anyone bigger can't. Have you noticed how kids can be sooooo tiiirrreeed that they caaaaan'tttt waaaallllkkk, but can run to any playground within sight. :D

 

If dd throws a tantrum over walking, we turn around, go home and put her to bed because she is obviously tired. We may or may not try again later. It all depends how tired I am by then!

 

I'd have thought the incentive was the classes and fun stuff and the penalty was no classes and fun stuff?

 

Rosie

[Saille]

Dear me.

 

My post did not read, "Help my whiny, spoiled children learn to walk." In NY, we lived on three acres. They ran and hiked constantly. They are excited to go to new places despite that fact that temps have been near 100 degrees. I asked for a jar or other incentive plan so we can keep track of and save money for the fun classes.

 

I realize we x-posted, rosie, but yours was not the only post that leaped to the "What the heck do you mean, incentive?" conclusion.

 

I know how to parent. I just stink at cutesy crafts and charts.

[Rosie_0801]

I'm very sorry you thought I was accusing you of not knowing how to parent. I wasn't. Nor was I dissing your children specifically, I was commenting on "I don't wannas" in general. I wrongly assumed you needed incentives to make people walk because they wouldn't otherwise because it didn't occur to me that people might want incentives to do things they were perfectly willing to do. I'm not an incentive chart kind of girl either, so most likely I have nothing to offer that would be anything other than insultingly obvious.

 

Rosie

[AK_Mom4]

I can't do cutesy jars and charts either :D

 

I would probably be boring and take my gas money for the month out in cash and put it in an envelope. Anything I didn't spend (because we were walking every where) would be mine to spend on the cool classes and activities for the next month.

 

Sorry. It's not very creative. But I am SOOOOOO envious - I wish we could walk to more of our activities too!

[myfunnybunch]

It's a fun way to set aside what we're NOT spending on gas

 

We drew one of those goal thermometers, set a $ goal (for giving up something else, not gas money, but it would be the same idea), and every time we saved money, we'd color in the amount we saved. Once we'd saved enough, we went to the zoo. ETA: It was super-simple, and the "cute" part of it was that the kids drew it and put it in the bulletin board, so the cute factor wasn't really dependent on my non-existent artistic ability.

 

Bonus: We were out of the habit of spending that money, so we continued to save even after we met our goal.

 

Double-bonus: It was cheap-cheap admission day the day we chose to go to the zoo, so we had enough money to spend a little in the gift shop, which made our "savings" go even further. :)

 

Cat

[amey311]

Ahh, you want an actual cash reminder? Because I mentioned marbles as a way to keep track of the times you walk instead of drive. If you don't want to deal with keeping money in the house, you could do the thermometer style thing.

 

Ahead of time, figure out the gas mileage of your car and the average price per gallon. Also note the typical distance you'll go. Then you'll know the price per location (is it 50c to the library? $1.25 to the grocery store? whatever). You can keep change and add it to a jar, or you could do a substitution (one marble for every 25c?) in a jar if you want something visual. Figure out some smaller goals (does it take $5 for a new book each from the second hand store?) and some bigger ones ($40 for a month of piano, $75 for a year of zoo membership) and make a list that's kept near the jar/poster whatever.

 

If you do a thermometer thing, I'd probably do the markings at $1 per line, especially if you have young children. THey may need the more frequent changes in progress. Unless all of your journeys will be more like $3 each, and then I'd bump it to $3 or $5.

[Amy Jo]

I can't do cutesy jars and charts either :D

 

I would probably be boring and take my gas money for the month out in cash and put it in an envelope. Anything I didn't spend (because we were walking every where) would be mine to spend on the cool classes and activities for the next month.

 

Sorry. It's not very creative. But I am SOOOOOO envious - I wish we could walk to more of our activities too!

 

That sounds like a good idea. I might borrow it, I'm trying to reduce our driving.

[Firestar Academy]

Ahh, you want an actual cash reminder? Because I mentioned marbles as a way to keep track of the times you walk instead of drive. If you don't want to deal with keeping money in the house, you could do the thermometer style thing.

 

Ahead of time, figure out the gas mileage of your car and the average price per gallon. Also note the typical distance you'll go. Then you'll know the price per location (is it 50c to the library? $1.25 to the grocery store? whatever). You can keep change and add it to a jar, or you could do a substitution (one marble for every 25c?) in a jar if you want something visual. Figure out some smaller goals (does it take $5 for a new book each from the second hand store?) and some bigger ones ($40 for a month of piano, $75 for a year of zoo membership) and make a list that's kept near the jar/poster whatever.

 

If you do a thermometer thing, I'd probably do the markings at $1 per line, especially if you have young children. THey may need the more frequent changes in progress. Unless all of your journeys will be more like $3 each, and then I'd bump it to $3 or $5.

 

I would probably do the cash right in the jar. It would really SHOW the kids what is being saved in actual CASH. I I like the figuring out 25c to library, $1.25 to grocery!!!

 

robin

[Julie Smith]

Ahh, you want an actual cash reminder? Because I mentioned marbles as a way to keep track of the times you walk instead of drive. If you don't want to deal with keeping money in the house, you could do the thermometer style thing.

 

Ahead of time, figure out the gas mileage of your car and the average price per gallon. Also note the typical distance you'll go. Then you'll know the price per location (is it 50c to the library? $1.25 to the grocery store? whatever). You can keep change and add it to a jar, or you could do a substitution (one marble for every 25c?) in a jar if you want something visual. Figure out some smaller goals (does it take $5 for a new book each from the second hand store?) and some bigger ones ($40 for a month of piano, $75 for a year of zoo membership) and make a list that's kept near the jar/poster whatever.

 

If you do a thermometer thing, I'd probably do the markings at $1 per line, especially if you have young children. THey may need the more frequent changes in progress. Unless all of your journeys will be more like $3 each, and then I'd bump it to $3 or $5.

 

This idea sounds like the one I was thinking of but much more thought out.

 

A perfect math lesson. :)

[Saille]

I'm very sorry you thought I was accusing you of not knowing how to parent. I wasn't. Nor was I dissing your children specifically, I was commenting on "I don't wannas" in general.

 

No worries. My thread title is striking me hilarious when I look at it now. I bet a few people have come stampeding in here thinking, "What's next!?"

 

But I am SOOOOOO envious - I wish we could walk to more of our activities too!

 

I AM excited about it, and am trying to ramp up that feeling even more when I miss my chickens and turkeys and ducks, none of which could come with us. Several people have said to me, "You're moving INTO town? Why? I'm trying to move OUT," and I'm fine until they say it. Then I have this huge wave of homesickness. It was the best choice we had available, it really was. So I'm focusing on the best things.

 

(I'm also converting our small, south-facing front lawn to mixed perennials/food. And getting bees.)

 

We will have a chat tomorrow about whether we all prefer to see money, or a thermometer, or marbles! On the one hand, I love the idea of calculating each trip's cost. On the other hand, our commute to town used to be so much longer that the "putting our old gas budget in an envelope" idea sounds attractive, too...it would certainly build up faster. Hmm.

[Kelly1730]

I would love to be able to have most things within walking distance, sounds idyllic to me:) OTOH, I also love being out and away from the busyness of everyone else's life:tongue_smilie: Can't have it both ways, can I? You seem to be making the best of it; good for you! Let us know what you decide to do and keep us posted on your progress; I'm very interested!

[FeFe]

How about every you walk or bike you total up how much that would have been if you had taken the car. Write the total on a slip of paper and put it in the jar. That way everyone can see how much savings it is for your family. Then when there's a craving for a treat or something to save up for you can total up the slips and see what you have.

 

As far as teaching them, I'd do several bike rides a week as a family.

 

HTH

[Rebecca VA]

Get a dog -- it'll demand to be walked several times a day.

[Lily_Grace]

Put the money from your gas budget in the jar. Take it out as you need it to fill up the car, but make sure it starts out in the jar so that you can see what you're taking away by driving.

 

Dh and I do something similar. We buy our gas rations, and then roll over what is left until we have enough for a bigger trip before the end of the year.

[bettyandbob]

You have your old gas budget. I would keep a portion of that on a ledger and add to that each walk.

 

Thinking that you had a vehicle that got 20 miles to the gallon and gas cost $3.50 then each mile was worth $.175 . So, it would take a long time adding up 17.5 cent trips to the jar to amount to anything. Also, short trips use more gas. I think I add 50 cents to the jar for every trip. I'd do it in marbles because they take up more volume so you can see the earnings.

 

If you want to be a real homeschooler, find out your actual mileage and the current gas price and have your kids calculate the savings each time.

[godsaggie]

I'm not any good at cutesy charts either. I ended up buying a responsibility chart from Melissa & Doug. http://www.melissaanddoug.com/magnetic-responsibility-learning-chart

It is awesome and my kids love it! It has daily spots with cute little smiley face magnets. You could easily use it as an incentive chart...put a smiley on the chart every time you walk somewhere. And then when you have 35 smileys, you can sign up for a new class or something.

[Saille]

Get a dog -- it'll demand to be walked several times a day.

 

Don't you worry...we have one, and we *used* to be able to let her out to run. I'm taking a lot of walks with her.

 

Just found out that a local-foods co-op will now be selling out of a storefront half a mile away...with free delivery, no less, though hopefully I won't use it.