I love long, hot showers. It is hard to resist standing under the hot stream of water while cocooned in my own personal steam room. I get my best thinking done with the warm water pounding down on my face. But as much as I may enjoy a long shower, I keep my showers as brief as possible in order to conserve water. However, trying to get my seven year old son to keep his showers short used to be a little more difficult!
When he got in the shower, he got lost in the warm mist. He would stand in there for thirty minutes if left to his own devices. I constantly had to holler, “Hurry up Jackson – you are wasting water!” But he usually ignored my nagging and chose to linger in the soothing comfort of the hot water. Tired of reminding Jackson to expedite his showering rituals, I came up with an idea! I would use my son’s competitive instinct to get him moving faster.
I set a timer and told Jackson to try to beat the clock. This simple trick kept his seven year old mind focused on a clear goal and his drive to win motivated him to move more quickly. Now, not only is Jackson showering faster and saving water, but the bedtime process moves a lot faster and easier without him standing distracted in the shower and me constantly rushing him. I must say that looking at the clock also helps me to keep my showers as fast as possible. I do my own little contests with myself, seeing if I can shave another minute off my best time.
A clock in the bathroom is a simple tip that will have everyone in your family saving water.
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