Hey everyone, I’m trying to get better at parenting and I’ve heard a lot about positive reinforcement. But I’m not really sure how to put it into practice. Can any experienced parents share some real-life examples of how you use positive reinforcement with your kids? What works well? What doesn’t? I’m open to all ideas, whether it’s for toddlers or teenagers. Thanks in advance for any tips!
We use a simple point system at home. Kids earn points for good behavior and chores. They can cash in points for screen time or small treats.
It’s worked well so far. The kids like tracking their progress.
In our house, we’ve had success with a ‘chore chart’ that turns tasks into a game. My kid earns points for completing chores, which can be traded for fun activities or small rewards. It’s been great seeing the enthusiasm for helping around the house grow. We also celebrate the effort, not just the result. Sometimes, just a high-five or words of appreciation go a long way in encouraging good habits.
In our family, we’ve had good results with a reward jar system. The kids earn marbles for doing their chores or showing kindness. They can trade them for small treats or fun activities.
We keep it simple and focus on praising effort. Even just saying ‘I noticed how hard you worked on that’ goes a long way. The system has evolved as they’ve grown.
For my older one, we’ve started tying rewards to bigger goals like saving allowance or reading chapter books. It’s been cool to see them get excited about achieving things.
The most important part has been staying positive and celebrating the little wins along the way. It takes time, but it’s really helped build good habits.
I’ve been trying positive reinforcement with my 5-year-old. We started with a simple sticker chart for basic tasks like brushing teeth and putting toys away. It worked well at first, but now I’m wondering if it’s sustainable long-term.
Has anyone found ways to keep the excitement going? Or should I be moving away from external rewards? I worry about creating expectations for rewards for every little thing.
I’d love to hear what’s worked for others, especially as kids get older. Do you eventually phase out the rewards? Or change the system somehow?
When my kids were little, we started with a simple reward system for chores. It worked okay at first, but as they got older, we had to change things up.
I found that giving them more say in their responsibilities helped a lot. My 14-year-old now gets to choose between a few different chores each week. It’s cut down on the arguments because she feels like she has some control.
For my 17-year-old, we’ve moved away from direct rewards. Instead, we talk about how keeping up with chores is part of being in the family and prepares him for living on his own. He still grumbles sometimes, but he usually gets things done without too much fuss.
One thing that’s helped is being clear about what needs to be done and by when. We have a family calendar where everyone can see their tasks. It’s not perfect, but it’s made things a lot smoother at our house. 