What is my biggest hurdle for the new year!?

As I get ready to take the leap into our second grade/firstgrade/with a 2 yr old year I have alot whirling around in the "How am I going to do this!?" department of my head! We're waiting to find out if we're moving, and we don't know if we're moving out of state or out of the country. All that kind of fun stuff. However, the thing that most overwhelms me is the lazy, bad attitude of my dd whenever I ask her to do something. Don't get me wrong - she's not like that about everything - she's thrilled to help with cooking, or anything that's not a "regular/everyday" activity. However, if it's something that just has to be done (cleaning up her room, folding laundry, playing with her almost-2-year-old brother) it results in a bad attitude and a battle.

Reasoning, punishing, rewarding... NOTHING works. Not even scripture has made an impact on her at this point.

So I'm listening in to a conversation on the MFW Families Yahoo group with great interest. These are some of the interesting tidbits I've picked up:

"Fair isn't when everyone gets what they want,it's when everyone gets what
they need." - Pam's cousin

Areas to focus on: "I will obey.I
will focus.I will have patience.I will be a peacemaker.I will not complain
or argue.I will follow God, not evil." - Kristi

"I set up "attitude" chips. She started the day with 20. If she
demonstrated a bad attitude, misbehaved, purposely scribbled, etc, I
would take a chip. If she had 20 chips at the end of the day, she got 15
minutes of computer time that evening. If she had 15-19, no "bad
consequences," but no computer time. Less than 15 chips, then I would
have been adding chores. We never got less than 15. I also would allow
my dd to "earn" back chips by doing chores, or if I saw her be extra
kind, etc. Make sure you have a "plan" for chips. I had to do them for 2
days at the beginning of this school year. That was it. You can do
something similar with rewards/consequences. I think sometimes kids get
in the habit of complaining, attitude, etc, and this can help break the
habit." - Trish

With privilege comes responsibility. Or, with responsibility comes privilege!

I have more gems to think on, but for now, we're on our way to swimming lessons!