Sticker motivation

Zoë was very diligent about practicing the piano all of last week. And she very diligently marked off each practice session in her piano notebook, too. If she practiced five out of seven days, you see, she would earn a sticker. Well, she practiced seven out of seven days last week and was thrilled when I brought out the folder of stickers I spent a lifetime hoarding.

For some weird reason, using stickers always stressed me out as a child. Once you stick it somewhere...that's it...it's gone. Plus, I weirdly thought, it would be nice to have some stickers for my children. So I just...saved all the stickers I ever got as a child (or the majority of them, anyway).

And isn't that so weird? Like, did I think we wouldn't have stickers in the future?

Anyway, I have some pretty cool stickers. Sparkly stars, cute baby animals, planets and insects and balloons and flowers. Stickers that say "good work!" and "nice job!" and "A+!" Stickers...stickers...stickers...

"I know just the one I want!" Zoë said and she hunted through that packet of stickers for a long time until she found...a sheet of round, pink circles. Like AVERY brand labelling dots. "This one!" she squealed, and she peeled off a round, pink circle and stuck it on her piano notebook and...I just stood there blinking for a few minutes. That one? Okay.

At least I know she's easily motivated.

(When it comes to piano practicing...)