Happy Cup / Sad Cup

We have been working with Isaiah on learning how to be kind to Drew all the time, be helpful to Mommy during the day, and pick up his toys without having to be asked over and over. I wanted to do something tangible for him to be able to see the result of his obedience and kindness. I also wanted to have something else in place to do in addition to spanking so that we don't have to soley rely on it and can begin to form some intrinsic motivation for Isaiah to do the right thing just because he knows it is right and not because it means he just won't get a spanking. We want him to start desiring to serve others and receive joy from doing it.

I read in a book called "Creative Correction" about doing a happy and sad cup. Marbles are in each cups. If he does something kind, is nice to Drew, poops in the potty, helps me around the house or is obedient, he gets to move a marble from the sad cup to the happy. If he isn't nice, doesn't listen, gets in trouble, ignores me when I ask him to pick up toys, then he moves one from the happy cup to the sad. The goal is to get all the marbles into the happy cup. When that happens, Isaiah and I decided that he gets to go to Chick-fil-a. Yes, he does get a reward at the end of it all, but he get great enjoyment just out of getting to move a marble and watching his happy cup fill up.
I have never had him so eager to help me do anything. He walks around asking me, "Isaiah help?" Now, he still gets spankings, but this goes along with it. After his spanking, we walk over to the cups together and he has to move some to the sad. It crushes him. But when I reward him with moving a marble to the happy cup, he rejoices and jumps for joy! It is the cutest thing. And I am so glad that it is working. It isn't working 100%, but it is helping.