It's not every day a company asks a relatively new dad blogger, especially one with my rather unique approach, to review one of their products. Usually that honor would go to the moms. But for some reason The Victoria Chart Company saw something in the ramblings of a new dad just trying to figure out this thing called fatherhood, and thought this might be the guy to put their product to the test.
Was their product in good hands? They didn't know they were giving their product to a former marketing and psychology major. They didn’t know they were giving their product to someone with a keen understanding of retail and online product sales. They didn’t know they were giving their product to a pessimist that is not easily separated from his money. They gave their product to a dad, and it’s as a dad that I am happy to tell you that- after reviewing their product- I'm a big fan of The Victoria Chart Company. And I’m an even bigger fan of their array of colorful, easy to use reward charts that give every dad (and mom) the opportunity to interact with their child in a meaningful, fun way- every day- as they develop and grow in to a little person you can be proud of.
Was their product in good hands? They didn't know they were giving their product to a former marketing and psychology major. They didn’t know they were giving their product to someone with a keen understanding of retail and online product sales. They didn’t know they were giving their product to a pessimist that is not easily separated from his money. They gave their product to a dad, and it’s as a dad that I am happy to tell you that- after reviewing their product- I'm a big fan of The Victoria Chart Company. And I’m an even bigger fan of their array of colorful, easy to use reward charts that give every dad (and mom) the opportunity to interact with their child in a meaningful, fun way- every day- as they develop and grow in to a little person you can be proud of.
Developed by Victoria Ballard, a recognized expert in the field of positive development in children, these charts employ a simple philosophy based on encouragement and praise. Each chart helps to build a child’s self-esteem and confidence while instilling them with a sense of pride for each new accomplishment. And, as a parent, who wouldn’t want to give that to their child?
But, that’s not to say I took my assignment lightly. I put this product through its paces. I gave it time. After all, learning is a process, and I wanted to make sure my daughter got the full benefit from what this product had to offer. I wanted to make sure it lived up to its promise.
Here’s the chart we reviewed:
Now, I don’t want to say I have a problem child by any means, but she has her dad’s stubbornness. And we all know a toddler coming up on the Terrible Twos can be a handful at times- and my child is no different. But, over the almost six months that we have utilized this chart, I have noticed a few key changes in her behavior: 1) She listens, 2) She thinks before she acts, and 3) she understands the satisfaction that comes from a job well done.
Now, you may think every child should be well-behaved at bedtime, or mealtime, or playtime. But try explaining that to an 18-month-old. I’m sure we’d all like our children to share nicely, or show bravery when faced with an inoculation, or say their P’s and Q’s- but it doesn’t work without some kind of cooperation on their part. Rewards help, but I’m not talking about food, or toys, or money – I’m talking about the self-satisfaction that comes from cooperation and conquering new tasks. We were having a miserable time trying to get my daughter not to hit or bite, but once we put it down in that blank space on the Big Star Chart, we’ve had fewer and fewer incidences, as my daughter knows her bad behaviour will not be rewarded with a gold star, but her self-restraint will.
Most importantly, though, this chart allowed me, a dad, to learn as much about myself as I learned about my daughter. I learned patience as I allowed her to choose from the many colors of smiley faces herself so she could personalize her chart, her way. I learned self-restraint as I let her attempt to place gold stars where she thought they belonged. I learned the value of repetition and having a ritual to follow each and every night. I learned to be strict, as I didn’t let her get away with claiming to have completed a task she had not. And I learned that learning was not about telling your daughter how to do things; it was about giving her the opportunity to try to do better with each attempt.
Did I like the Big Star Chart from The Victoria Chart Company? Do I like a well-behaved child? Do I like a child that gets a sense of pride and self-satisfaction from doing what is asked of her? You bet I do. Do I like that is gives me an opportunity to take a moment out of my day to stop and evaluate both my child’s progress and my own as a parent? It’s one of the highlights of my day. Would I recommend this product to other dads (and moms) looking for a fun, rewarding way to teach their child about responsibility? I’d say that’s a pretty accurate assessment. And you can be sure when my wife and I begin that most important of parenting assignments- potty training- a Victoria Chart Company chart will be on the wall to help us along the way. It's that helpful.
Related links: More offerings from The Victoria Chart Company
This Product is Endorsed by our trusted friends at Create Happy Kids please visit them @https://www.facebook.com/dr.sherkat?ref=ts And for special offer from The Victoria Chart Company please visit their Facebook Page @https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaChartCompany?ref=ts&sk=app_216924904991602 or look for a giveaway in the near future from Fodder 4 Fathers.
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