Like any system, My Reward Board will be most effective if you and your children get in the habit of using it. Encourage your kids to drag and drop their own happies in the Can Do Calendar – they’ll get a kick out of the fun animations and seeing their point progress. Your first weekly payout (on Sunday) will be an important motivational milestone, when your children receive their first achievement certificates and star points.
2. Don't Begin with Too Many Tasks
We suggest you work together with your children to agree upon which tasks to assign in the Can Do Calendar. Start with about six of the most important tasks and add more later. Starting with fewer tasks
can help your child become accustomed to a successful completion record
and get an early taste of possible rewards.
3. Starting Mid-Week
For "accounting" purposes My Reward Board defines the week as beginning on Monday and ending on Sunday. Thus it will probably be mid-week when you start using the program. Rather than have it appear that your child failed to do the assigned tasks in the prior part of the week, you can either, a) drag and drop happies to all of the tasks for prior days, or b) click here to find out how to mark the prior tasks as "not due".
4. Using Printouts
The print button on the toolbar will generally print whatever is currently on the screen. If you want to print assigned tasks, for example, open the Can Do Calendar and then click the print button
.
One way to use the program is to make printouts of the Can Do Calendar and Goal Gizmo and hang them on the wall. Apply checkmarks or stickers to the printouts, then update My Reward Board periodically during the week.
5. Sunday, Sunday, Sunday
Remember, Sunday is the day to finalize the past week in the Can Do Calendar and get star points.
6. Getting More Help
If you click the help button (the question mark) at the bottom of the screen when no object is open (i.e. you are just looking at the main room) the intro sequence will be replayed.
When any object (like the Can Do Calendar) or dialog box is open, clicking the help button will bring up more specific help text.
7. Quick Icon Reference
From the main room interface, click on these icons to access various functionality:
Can Do Calendar
Goal Gizmo
Treasure Chest
Piggy Bank
Certificates (top) and Rewards (bottom)
Scoreboard
Demerits
Points and Rewards
1. The Point System Explained
Star points are the currency earned by doing good work. The points can be spent on reward coupons in the treasure chest. By clicking on the "Customize Rewards" button in the treasure chest you can select which coupons are active, change their point cost, and create new custom coupons.
Most of your child’s star points will be awarded in the Can Do Calendar when you go through the weekly payout (by clicking on the big payout handle) on Sunday.
The number of star points awarded at the end of the week is based on the percentage of tasks completed times the weekly goal. Assuming the default of a 200 point weekly goal, if you’ve assigned 10 tasks and 9 have been completed the child would earn 90% of their weekly goal, or 180 points. If there were 30 tasks assigned and they completed 15 tasks they would earn 50%, or 100 points. Extra points are also awarded for perfect days (days on which all assigned tasks were performed).
When you add a goal to the Goal Gizmo you can also specify how many star points will be awarded when the goal has been completed.
Finally, as the parent you can also directly adjust the point total by clicking the "Adjust Point Total" button in the treasure chest.
2. Creating Custom Reward Coupons
It's easy to create your own custom reward coupons. The new reward coupons will appear for all players. Simply follow these steps:
- Open the treasure chest
- Click the "Customize Rewards" button
- Click the "Add a Reward" button
- Fill in the coupon description, point cost, and select an icon
- Click the "OK" button
3. Deactivating Reward Coupons
We understand that, as a parent, you may have strong feelings about which rewards are appropriate for your children. You can deactivate any reward coupon by following these steps:
- Open the treasure chest
- Click the "Customize Rewards" button
- Uncheck the rewards that you want to deactivate
Deactivated coupons won't appear for any player.
4. Reprinting Reward Coupons
All earned reward coupons are stored in the bottom drawer in the center of the room.
Select the coupon you want to view from the list, and then click the "Print" button. To keep everyone honest, the printed coupons will show the first date they were printed and the reprint date.
5. Awarding Extra Star Points
You can award extra star points for special work or good deeds by clicking on the "Adjust Points" button in the treasure chest. Simply enter the new star point total.
Tasks and Goals
1. Creating Custom Tasks and Goals
It's easy to add a custom task or goal. In the "Add New Task" (or "Add New Goal") dialog box simply replace the existing task (or goal) name at the top with your own before clicking the "Done" button.
2. Changing the Icon for a Task or Goal
The icon is found towards the top/right of the "Add New Task" (or "Add New Goal") dialog box. Click the drop-down arrow to the right of the icon to open a list showing other icons you can choose.
3. Adding a Bonus Task
Normally, every task on the Can Do Calendar is counted towards the weekly success percentage. If the weekly target is set to 200 points, then each task represents a part of that total.
It's easy, however, to add a task that will give extra points regardless of the weekly maximum. When creating the task make it due on Monday. Then, double click on flag for the task for Monday. Click the OK button in the dialog that appears, to remove the task from Monday. Because the task is now not due on any day, extra points will be awarded whenever it's performed.
4. Marking a Task as Not Due
Sometimes your child won't be able to perform an assigned task on a given day or week, for example because of vacation or another change of schedule.
There are two different ways of telling the program that a task is no longer due (in the Can Do Calendar):
a) Double click on the task name. This will open an "Edit Task" dialog box. You can then change the "due days" for the task (for the current week only or for all future weeks). (For tasks that are due a certain number of times per week, you can type the number zero into the "Due times" field.)
b) Double click on any box with a flag in the Can Do Calendar. A "Remove Task from Day" dialog will appear. You can remove it for the current week only or all weeks. (Double-clicking on a cell where the task is currently not due will let you quickly assign the task to that day.)
5. Paying Out Multiple Weeks
Sunday is the day to close out the prior week in the Can Do Calendar. But don't worry if you missed the Sunday payout for one or more weeks. The calendar will open to the earliest week that needs to be paid out. Once that week has been paid out,the calendar will open to the next week that needs to be paid out, and so on until all of the prior weeks have been paid out.
6. Reprinting Achievement Certificates
All achievement certificates are stored in the top drawer in the center of the room. Select the certificate you want to view from the list, and then click the "Print" button.
Miscellaneous Tips
1. Printing in Landscape Mode
Before My Reward Board starts printing a page the standard print dialog box will appear. Use the dialog box controls to select landscape orientation instead of portrait.
2. Putting the Program in "Parent Mode"
Many functions, such as approving allowance or adjusting the star point total, require the parent's approval. To avoid having to enter your password many times during a session you can put the program into "parent" or unlocked mode. To do this, simply click on the lock button at the bottom of the screen. After entering your password the icon will change to an unlocked state.
Note: Remember to put the program back into locked mode, by clicking again on the lock button, before leaving your children alone at the computer.
3. Setting the Allowance Amount
The allowance settings can be accessed in two ways: a) Click on the "Edit Player" button towards the bottom of the screen, and then click on "Allowance Settings", or b) Open the piggy bank and then click on its tail (where it says "Settings").
4. Adjusting the Piggy Bank Balance
The balance in the piggy bank represents money that is owed (by you) to your child. If weekly allowance is enabled, the allowance will accumulate in the piggy bank.
If your child has earned extra money (by washing the car, for example) you can use the "deposit" button on the piggy bank to add to the balance.
Whenever you pay money to your child you should use the "withdraw" button to reduce the balance.
5. Network Installation
My Reward Board can be installed on multiple computers on a single network, with all of player data stored on one of the computers. This configuration allows parents, for example, to access and review their child's data from their own bedroom computer, even though the data actually resides on the child's computer. Here's how to install the program this way:
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Install the first copy of the program on the computer that will hold all of the player data. During the installation you will be asked for the location of the player data folder. If you already have a shared network folder that you'd like to use, browse to that folder. Otherwise, accept the default folder.
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Before you install subsequent copies of the program on other computers on the network, be sure that the player data folder on the first computer is marked as "shared", so that it can be accessed across the network. The default data folder is "Shared Data\MRBData ". If you're using Windows, browse to this folder using the file Explorer, right click on the folder, select "Sharing", then check "Share this folder on the network" and "Allow network users to change my files".
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Now, during installation of the program on other computers, when asked for the player data folder, browse to the network folder on the first computer, (i.e. the folder that you marked as "shared" in the step above).
The folder where My Reward Board looks for player data can also be set within the program itself. Click on the "Settings" button towards the bottom of the screen, then click "Set Data Folder".
Important: When you change the folder location from within the program (as described above), the program will ask if you want to copy the files from the old location to the new location. If you're actually trying to move all of the player data to a new location, answer "Yes". If you're just trying to get a second computer to access the existing data, answer "No".
Also Important: You'll need a unique registration code for each computer that's running the program. The My reward Board license permits you to run three copies of the program. To request the additional registration codes, click here.
Troubleshooting
1. Improving Animation Performance
There are two settings you can adjust to improve animation performance. First, click on the "Settings" button towards the bottom-left of the screen.
a) The Window size defaults to 800x600 pixels. Try choosing a smaller window size to speed things up.
b) Changing the display quality from "High" to "Medium" will also speed things up, but will make the graphics and text appear less sharp.
2. Help - I Forgot my Parent Password
Have no fear. Click here to request that we decode and send your parent password.
3. Help - My Child Forgot His/Her Player Password
Follow this procedure to change the player password:
- Click the lock icon at the bottom of the screen and enter your parent password. This will "unlock" the program.
- If the desired player record is not open, click on the drop-down arrow next to the player title (towards the bottom of the screen) to open a list of players, and then click on the desired player name.
- Click the "Edit Player" button.
- Enter the new password (in both password fields) and click "OK"
4. Help - I Can't Make Changes to a Prior Week
You've probably already "paid out" that week. Once that's happened the week is locked and can't be changed. Always review the week, and make any desired changes, before starting the payout process.
Registration Issues
All versions of My Reward Board will expire after 15 days unless registered. Each time you start the program a dialog box will appear giving you the opportunity to register.
1. I Get an "Oops" Error Message When I Enter the Registration Code
The registration code must be entered EXACTLY as it was sent to you. Try this:
- Open the email message that contains the registration code
- Highlight the registration code (and only the registration code)
- Hold down the [Ctrl] key on your keyboard, and press "c"
- Start My Reward Board and left-click inside the registration entry field
- Right-click inside the registration entry field and select "paste"
The registration code will be pasted into the field.
2. I Purchased the Program But Don't Have a Registration Code
You can request your unique registration code from within the program itself by clicking the "Get Code" button. A browser window will open. Follow the subsequent instructions and your registration code will be emailed to you.
Or you can click here to send a request for your registration code.
3. I Have the Trial Version and Want a Registration Code
When the trial dialog is displayed click the "Buy" button. A browser window will open. Follow the subsequent instructions. After the purchase has been completed your registration code will be emailed to you.
Or you can click here to buy right now.
4. The Computer Running My Reward Board Doesn't Have Internet Access
Click here to request your registration code.
5. I Need to Reinstall the Program but I've Lost My Registration Code
Click here to request your registration code.
Some Fun Things You May Not Have Noticed
1. Daily Jokes and Facts
Click on the remote control (on the top-right shelf in the main room) and one of the happies will tell you a joke or a historical fact for the current date.
2. Animating Happies
Click on the happies in the Can Do Calendar or Goal Grid and see what happens.
3. Birthday Message
Sonny (the yellow happy) will deliver a special message on your child's birthday. (The birth date must be entered in the "edit player" dialog box.)
4. Shooting a Basket
You can click anywhere on the scoreboard to shoot a basket.
5. Window Scenes
The scene outside of the window (in the main room) changes from month-to-month to reflect the changing seasons.
6. Window Animations
Click on the window to play fun animations. (These animations change from month-to-month.)
