The kids have all read a book at school about being “bucket fillers”. I believe it’s called “How Full is Your Bucket?” It’s a lovely message about how doing nice things for others puts a drop in their imaginary bucket (full bucket = happy person) and how making others happy adds a drop to your bucket as well. The opposite? Bucket tippers!

I’ve realized that brothers (possibly siblings in general) do quite a lot of bucket tipping. It’s becoming a problem lately as they keep tipping my bucket as well (and by this I mean that they are making me quite angry and upset with constant bickering!)

Logan’s teacher had each of her students make a paper “bucket” at the beginning of the year. They are all mounted on a board and the class is encouraged to drop off “bucket notes”. Logan’s notes say things like, “I like your shoes” or “I like you because we play together at recess”. Last week, I decided we needed buckets at the house as well.

The first day the boys got their buckets, there was a flurry of nice-note writing to each other and they ended up spending about 2 hours forming their “Bro Ko” which is a club including brothers and the dog (Ko for Kona). They made a giant sign for their room.

It’s been about a week now and I have to remind them about their buckets, but when I do, they will stop and write notes. It’s a work in progress. Has the fighting stopped, no. However, I’ve been throwing around a lot of, “you’re being a bucket tipper” and that usually motivates them to at least say sorry. :)

The first night of bucket notes was so successful that they all decided they wanted to sleep in Logan’s bed together. It took them a while to fall asleep, but I was so pleased by their “brotherness” that I let it slide…and snuck a picture of them and Kona later that night.