Many children require some motivation to get chores and homework completed on time. Reward systems can be implemented as early as toddler years and can even be a great tool for teenagers. Here’s how you can use the right reward system for your child!
Toddlers
Sticker charts are a great tool for younger children, like toddlers.
Link the chart with a certain behavior. For example, each time they use the big-kid potty, they get to put a sticker on their chart. Or, for every time they put their toys away, they get to put a sticker on their chart. Customize it for your child so that you can positively reinforce the desired behavior.
Have our child create the chart with their favorite art supplies, like colorful construction paper, markers, and glitter. Creating the chart themselves will give them even more motivation to fill it out with stickers! Let them pick out stickers of their favorite cartoon characters, sports, or animals! This will get them excited to choose a new sticker each time.
School-aged children, seeing stickers on a chart isn’t enough!
You can still implement the sticker chart with your school-aged children, just like you would a toddler. However, there needs to be a reward attached.
For example, you can give your child a trip to the park for every 5 stickers that they earn. You and your child can discuss what prize would work best for them!
Middle schoolers, little prizes are less appealing now!For your middle schoolers, still implement that chart, but link it to different kinds of rewards!
Middle schoolers don’t care much for stickers, instead, give them a more adult-like chart and let them fill it out with check marks.
Once they receive an agreed-upon amount of check marks, let them cash in their check marks for 30 minutes of television time or a later bed-time next Saturday.
High-Schoolers, time to nix the chart!Rather than a sticker chart, create a contract with your high-schooler!
For example, link your child’s ability to go out to dinner with their friends to their ability to get all of their homework completed on time. Maybe they only get to use the car if they do the dishes at least three times a week. Tailor it to the privileges your child desires and the behaviors you want to see!