The Buy Back Bin: Teaching Kids Responsibility for Being Messy

Parenting is hard work.  There is no doubt about it.  We always try to do what is best for our children and our families.  There is no denying that there are times when you kids (and even your spouse) drive you absolutely bananas.  With a little bit of behavior modification we can change their behavior so that they don’t make us want to lose our minds.  The Buy Back Bin has helped saved my sanity and has taught my girls to be responsible for their own things.

My older daughter (age 7 when we started this) is terrible at putting her shoes away. Big Sister leaves her shoes all over the house and it makes me crazy.   I made sure that I told her to put her shoes away (she has a big shoe box that her shoes go into) and I made sure she was paying attention when I said that.  When she didn’t put her shoes away I started taking and hiding them.  I had 3 pairs hidden before she realized that her shoes were all missing. She realized that I am SERIOUS when I tell her to put her shoes away.

I figured that I would ask my friends on Facebook what they would do to have their kids earn back their stuff.  There were some fabulous ideas, but the one that I liked the most was the Buy Back Bin.  Each week I will confiscate my girls misplaced items (after giving them 1 warning to put it away) and put those items into the Buy Back Bin.  On Sundays (which is allowance pay day) the girls may buy back their items at 25¢ each piece.  If they need an item earlier than Sunday then they may spend $1.00 per item for an early release.

This was the first week that we used the Buy Back Bin and I have to say, it was fantastic!  I earned $2 this week by cleaning up and confiscating.  Big Sister had 4 pairs of shoes (1 was too small and is in the Goodwill pile – I didn’t make her buy those back) and three $1 bills to buy back.  She knew she was getting a bargain by purchasing her items back today instead of the other six days of the week.  When I asked if she was going to leave her stuff out again she was adamant that she was going to put her stuff away the first time I ask her.  My fingers are crossed!

You can save this Buy Back Bin image to your computer to print and use at your own house.  

How to my girls earn money?  Simple, they have a Responsibility Chart that we fill out each week.  On average they earn about $3 a week.

We also have a marble jar system in place to reward good behaviors and a Jar of Consequences for both naughty and nice acts.

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