Mummy’s Marble Shop
Erin’s never been one to try lots of different foods, well apart from when she was a baby and would eat anything (including thai green curry!) Recently however, things had gotten worse she was eating little other than bread, plain rice or pasta along with fruit and some veg. It wasn’t critical, she was still eating most food groups but was completely unwilling to try anything new, making it difficult to eat as a family.
Introducing Littlemummy’s Marble Shop
In a bid to bribe encourage her to attempt new dishes and eat more of the good stuff I opened Mummy’s Marble Shop. Each meal she eats in full (no quibbles) she earns a marble which can be exchanged for one treat (small sweet, one biscuit, a desert). Each meal she doesn’t even try she loses a marble. Each half finished meal earns nothing, but no marble is taken away either. The system has been working well and I’ve noticed that not only is she eating more good stuff she’s also trying new things and because her treats are rationed she eats less of them too. She knows if there’s no marble then the shop is closed. Erin seems to love trying to earn marbles and exchange them for her own choice of treat/desert, taking responsibility of a balanced diet herself and eradicating the constant nagging for sweets. It’s out of my hands and off my conccious whether she’s allowed a treat or not, it’s up to her when she uses her marbles 
As we introduce pocket money I think I’m going to add in an extra rule where she can ‘sell’ her marbles to me for X amount which she can then save for a toy or whatever further encouraging her to reduce her ‘spending’ on sweets and save towards toys or books.
Do you have a similar system? How do you manage to get your kids eating well whilst controlling their junk intake?
Photo by flickr user whodenee
We have a rule in our house that you have to try eve
everything. Even if you tried it before, “today might be the day that you like it.”
I wrote about it awhile ago
http://gnmparents.com/just-eat-it/
I like your marble idea, and I’m glad it’s
working for Erin. It’s a nice way to introduce personal responsibility, too.
That sounds great. I might give it a try. We go through periods where they’ll both eat anything but recently they’ve become a bit more fussy.
When you were explaining the system did you have *The Look* on your face?
I think it’s a bloody good idea!
Wish I’d thought of it 15 years ago, will try it on my 6 year old fuss pot immediately
Hi Meg,
It’s a good rule, they change their mind like the wind
Laura, I can confirm I was very calm and collected.
Good Luck Frog in the Field
Hang on how did you get her to eat rice?! Top Ender won’t touch the stuff, which is annoying as I like Rice.
We will be opening a ‘Littlemummy’s Marble Shop’ here in Swansea shortly. We will send you a pic of the launch party! Definately a great idea Erica. Maybe you should brand and copyright it. Treats with a Conscience! Love it….
Pippa, Erin doesn’t like cheese. What kid doesn’t like cheese??
Ella’s Mum – Oh great, my little sister is gonna love me lol
This is such a great idea, hope I remember when Piran is older.
We use marbles for bribery too. They’re perfect. I love this idea mate. I’m using it for behavioural stuff at the minute with Miss M. She goes to bed without being a little fiend and stays in her bed all night(rather than mine), she gets a marble. Marbles represent 10p. She plays up then she loses a marble. When she reaches a pound we put it in her money box and start again.
We have the same system but for other things too like good behaviour. There is major competition between the four of them as to who has the most marbles – love seeing them do good stuff just to get one up on their siblings. It makes a change from watching them beat the cr*p out of each other!