A while back, at my sunday bible study, we discussed the book of James. This particular Sunday, the teacher decided to show us how even God uses postive reinforcement and how it really works. One person, was chosen to leave the room. Then the teacher explained to the class. The man was to walk in a certain path, pick up a paper and give it to someone else. Every time this man did the right thing, the teacher would ring his keys. The man came in, and with in just a few short minutes he completed the entire task!
Next, A second man volunteered. He stood outside the room as the teacher told us this time, the man had to simply walk straight to another man and shake his hand. Thats it! No path, no obsticles, this man was straight from the door. This time however, when the man walked in, he was hit with a noodle everytime he did something wrong. The poor guy had no clue what was going on, he was just being beaten and beaten. He ended up running across the room alot to get it to stop! He never got near the man to shake his hand.
How many times I myself get stuck hitting ppl around me with a wet noodle? Alot! But now when I am yelling at my daughter to clean her room, or my oldest to get her homework done. I really see myself as taking a noodle and hitting them with it.
My challenge to you is to use the keys! Show them positive enforcement when they have done right. Its amazing the change you will see.
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