I had carefully trained my girls to change the roll when it ran out, but children are not born with a natural tendency to think about the next person to use the bathroom. I was doomed to cylindrical cardboard if I didn’t come up with some form of motivation for them.
What I came up with was simple. First, I made a big announcement: “Every time you change the toilet paper roll, tell me, and I’ll give you a hug and a kiss.” It actually went over much better than I ever expected. My husband even got into it (added bonus). One day, the promise of a hug and kiss even inspired our youngest to change a half-empty roll. This called for a little side training, but the intention was good, and he still got his reward.
I must confess that I once bought a more economical 6-pack of MEGA rolls. I don’t really know what I was thinking. The package said ‘equals 24 single rolls’. I did the math and realized that I had just bought myself out of 18 hugs and kisses! It wasn’t worth it. It was back to single rolls for us.
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I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 3 John 4
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Nip It in the Bud
This is hilarious, but also reminds me of something that happened once.
I wanted to train one of my young brothers to come to me when I called him. So several times a day, I would get within his line of sight, get down on my knees with my arms open wide and call in a cheerful voice and a big smile, "[name], come here!" After only a day or 2, he could have his back to me, and I wouldn't even get past saying his name and he'd be over here giving me a hug.
However, I tried this with a different brother a long time later, and it didn't work out quite so well: He was about a year old, and I loved him to pieces. Every time I saw him I would smile and coo at him and give him a hug. Sometimes I would pick him up and throw him on the sofa, or run around the living room with him. However, when I called to him with the promise of a hug, he would completely ignore me. And I mean completely. He wouldn't even acknowledge me, he'd just keep walking away and I couldn't even get him to look up from the floor. Eventually, I realized that it was probably because I gave him so much attention already, that coming all the way over to me for a hug just wasn't worth it.
So I found a different way to do it!
And he still gets all his affection 🙂