Make a Credit Board

We had a “credit board” on our fridge growing up.  This arose from my mom’s insatiable need for “credit,” which I inherited.  My dad surprised her with a “credit board.”  The piece of paper was divided into four quadrants:  Dad, Mom, Tracey, me.  Each person had a photo and beneath the photo was space for hash marks to denote “points of credit.”  Credit was parceled out by my mother.  You got credit for things that improved the family’s happiness or experience.

Choosing a good new restaurant was grounds for a credit hearing.  Regular chores did not count.  We would be laughing so hard and fighting for credit sometimes.  Once the credit was honored, we would sit in agreement and appreciation of whatever the family member did.  We were FIGHTING to be the person who did the most!  I remember making an effort to bring up the things I thought other people did that deserved credit too.  We were all winning.

The funniest part about it was that my mom had final say and it was usually her who would announce that she should get credit for something.  Her section always had the most points.

The most important thing about the credit board to me was that it reminded me of the great things other people in my family did for us.  Of course I loved having a lot of tick marks in my section-I also had so many Girl Scout badges that I ran out of space on my sash in the first year.  The credit board helped me to be more conscious of everyone’s contributions as well as receive recognition.

I’m going to start one today in our house.  I wonder what Chris will think?  I hope he gets competitive!

Did you have some kind of “good deeds” tab-keeping in your home?  What methods do you use to keep track of the good deeds people do for you?  How do you like to receive recognition?  Here is a way to encourage more nice things.  Would this work in your office or with roommates?

(Top photo by my Dad of my Mom with a fortune-telling cat in Japan-you pay and the cat touches/selects a little scroll from a box and that is what your fortune is written on.  She probably got credit for doing something silly and fun.)