Rewards can be a great way to encourage positive behaviour, such as helping with chores, lending a hand when someone is struggling, or just doing something nice for someone.
One of the benefits of reward systems is flexibility. You can always change them over time as your child develops, providing constant positive reinforcement for good behaviour. It doesn’t matter whether you have a toddler who won’t share their toys or a teenager who resents household chores – positive reinforcements of rewards will help improve both situations.
What are the benefits of a reward system?
A reward system is a way of instilling good habits and positive character traits in children.
The benefits of having a reward system for kids include:
- Encourage positive and healthy behaviour.
- Improve self-esteem and self-image in kids.
- Encourage taking responsibility and independence in kids.
- Improve the parent-child relationship by allowing both to focus on the positive.
- Help with developing new skills.
- Build trust as kids learn to navigate healthy boundaries and expectations from their parents.
Here are tips on setting up a reward system for your child:
- Create a list of tasks, behaviours, or skills that you’re expecting from your child involve your child when creating this list. Talk to them about the positive behaviour or goal that you’re aiming for before you start. And make sure that the list is reasonable and explain it to them clearly. For example, instead of saying, “Keep your room clean”, you could say, “Make your bed every morning when you wake up”.
- Start small start out with a small age-appropriate goal or two that they can easily attain. This will make sure they are well challenged, but not to a point of discouragement or frustration.
- Involve your child in choosing the reward. Pick a reward with them that they want. One that will engage them and that they will work hard for. This will depend on their age and personality. Examples of rewards could include stickers, their favourite sweets, or more phone time.
- Put together a visual reward chart when your child is trying to achieve a certain goal or to change their behaviour a reward chart can show them that they are doing a good job and keep them motivated. A reward chart is a great tool for guiding your child towards positive behaviour. They come in a variety of different designs where every time your child does well, they get a sticker straight after achieving their task. Check out TOWER’s reward charts which can be used both at home and in the classrooms.
- Offer praise and do it often observe carefully when your child behaves well and offer them specific praise to keep the positive behaviour going.
- Evaluate the reward system after a week or two of trying the new behaviour or skill, and check if the reward system is working for them. You can change it up to fit your child’s personality. Make sure that the reward is something that the child wants that they can identify with and something that you can be consistent with.
Remember, kids learn to make better choices, and change to positive behaviour through positive reinforcements. When you thoughtfully and consistently approach rewards, both you and your kids will be happy with the results.