Hey everyone, I’m trying to figure out how to use positive reinforcement with my kids more effectively. I’ve heard it’s a good parenting technique, but I’m not really sure how to put it into practice. Can any parents here share some real-life examples of how you use positive reinforcement? What works well for you? What doesn’t? Any tips or advice would be really helpful. Thanks!
My kid and I started a ‘chore chart’ recently. It’s not perfect, but it’s been helpful. We list tasks and add stickers when they’re done. At the end of the week, we count them up. No big prizes, just a fun activity we pick together. Sometimes it’s baking cookies or a trip to the park. It’s been nice to see my child get excited about finishing tasks. Still working out the kinks, but it’s a step in the right direction for us.
Sticker charts worked well for us. Kids picked a small reward at the end of the week if they got enough stickers. Started simple with things like brushing teeth or cleaning up toys. Gradually added more tasks as they got older. Kids seemed to like the visual progress.
I’ve been trying to use positive reinforcement with my 5-year-old too. Recently, we started a simple high-five system for small tasks like putting shoes away. It’s not fancy, but my kid seems to enjoy it.
I’m curious about balancing short-term rewards with long-term motivation. Do your kids ever do chores without expecting something in return? Or is that too much to hope for at this age?
Also, I’d love to hear more about how others handle it when kids refuse to do tasks. Sometimes I’m not sure if I should insist or just let it go for that day. What’s worked for you in those situations?
In our house, we’ve found success with a ‘caught being good’ jar. It’s a simple glass jar where we drop in marbles when we notice the kids doing something positive or helpful.
We don’t make a big deal of it, just a quick ‘thanks for helping set the table’ and pop in a marble. When the jar is full, we have a family movie night with snacks.
The kids love seeing the jar fill up, and it’s encouraged more teamwork. They even catch each other being good now! It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely improved the mood at home.
What I like is how it’s shifted our focus to noticing good behavior rather than always correcting the not-so-good stuff.
When my kids were younger, we tried different things. One that worked well was our ‘Good Job Jar.’ We’d write down good things they did on slips of paper and put them in the jar. At dinner on Fridays, we’d read them out. The kids loved hearing all the positive stuff they’d done.
As they got older, we switched to a point system. They could earn points for chores and good behavior, then trade them for things they wanted, like extra game time or picking the movie for family night. It took some tweaking, but eventually it clicked.
Sometimes they’d refuse chores, and I learned it was best to stay calm and remind them of the consequences - both good and bad. If they didn’t do their chores, they didn’t earn points. Simple as that. No arguing, just following through consistently. It wasn’t always easy, but it paid off in the long run. 