I’ve been trying to get my kids to behave better and I’m wondering about using rewards. Has anyone here had success with reward systems? What kind of rewards worked best? I’m curious to hear about real experiences, good or bad. Thanks!
We’ve tried a few reward systems over the years. One that stuck was turning chores into a game. We’d set a timer and race to clean up toys before it went off. My kid loved trying to beat their own record.
Another approach was letting them earn points for tasks, which they could trade for small privileges. It worked for a while, but we had to keep changing the rewards to keep it interesting.
I’ve found that mixing rewards with conversations about responsibility has been most effective. It’s not perfect, but it seems to be slowly sinking in why helping out matters.
I’ve tried a few different reward ideas with my 5-year-old. Small toys worked at first, but the excitement faded quickly. Now we’re experimenting with a point system for good behavior. It’s going okay, but I’m not totally sure if it’s teaching the right lessons.
I’m curious - for those who’ve used rewards longer-term, did you notice any downside? Like, did your kids start expecting rewards for everything? I want to encourage good behavior, but I also want my child to do the right thing just because it’s right. How did you balance that?
We’ve tried different reward ideas in our house too. My kids really liked earning ‘special time’ with mom or dad. It could be reading an extra book, playing a game together, or even just chatting.
What surprised me was how much they valued these moments over physical rewards. It motivated good behavior and brought us closer as a family.
I found it helpful to mix things up and not always give rewards. Sometimes we’d just talk about why certain behaviors are important. This seemed to help them understand the reasons behind good choices, not just do things for prizes.
It’s definitely a learning process for everyone. What works one week might not work the next, so we keep adjusting as we go along.
Rewards worked okay for my kids, but it was hit or miss. Sticker charts helped with chores for a while. Screen time as a reward lost its appeal pretty fast. Food rewards backfired - created some bad habits. Every family’s different though.
You know, I’ve been down this road with my two teens. When they were younger, we tried all sorts of reward systems. Some worked for a bit, others flopped. What stuck was tying rewards to things they really cared about. For my daughter, it was extra time with her friends. My son was all about getting to choose dinner once a week.
I learned that consistency was key. We kept the same system for a while, even when it felt like it wasn’t working. Eventually, it became part of our routine. The kids started to see the connection between their behavior and the outcomes.
One thing that surprised me was how much they valued simple praise. A sincere ‘great job’ often meant more than any tangible reward. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s helped us navigate the choppy waters of raising kids. 
Just remember, what works for one family might not work for another. It’s all about finding what clicks for your crew.