Should you reward your kids?

There are a number of conflicting philosophies and ideas regarding whether or not the practice of rewarding children for good conduct is beneficial. Some people contend that it’s an effective way of shaping your children’s behavior, while others argue that it amounts to little more than bribery.

Arguments for rewarding kids
One reason rewards work is that they encourage kids to practice a behavior until it becomes a habit. Reward systems also teach children that privileges are earned. Additionally, they offer them tangible proof that their actions are noticed and worthwhile.

Arguments against rewarding kids
Some studies indicate that when people are rewarded for good conduct, they actually do that thing less. This may be because rewarding an action communicates that it’s undesirable, not worth doing for itself and that it needs to be incentivized.

If this is a concern for you, consider pointing out the results of your children’s behavior. For example, eating broccoli makes you strong and healthy and sharing with your little sister makes her happy.

As with most parenting dilemmas, there’s no one right answer. If you do choose to use rewards, consider implementing a token economy system where children can earn points towards something they’ll look forward to, such as a fun experience or extra privileges at home. Once the learned behavior becomes a habit, you can phase out the rewards in favor of praise and acknowledgement.