I’ve been trying to encourage better behavior in my kids, but I’m not sure I’m doing it right. Anyone have experience with positive reinforcement techniques that actually work? Looking for practical tips I can start using at home. Thanks!
We use a points system at home. Kids earn points for good behavior and chores.
They pick rewards from a list we made together. It’s simple and keeps them motivated.
The best part is catching them doing good things. Makes for a more positive vibe at home.
In our house, we’ve had some success with a simple sticker chart system. My 11-year-old earns stickers for things like making the bed or helping with dishes. Once they collect enough, we turn it into a fun outing or activity they choose. It’s not perfect, but it’s helped create more positive energy around chores and good behavior. The key has been keeping it light and celebrating the small wins along the way.
With my kids, we’ve found a simple token system works well. They earn tokens for things like cleaning up toys or being kind to each other. We keep a jar in the kitchen and add tokens throughout the day.
At the end of the week, they can trade tokens for small rewards or save up for bigger ones. It’s been great for encouraging good habits without constant reminding.
One thing that’s helped is keeping it flexible. Some weeks we focus on different behaviors depending on what’s needed. And if we forget tokens one day, we just pick up again the next.
The best part has been seeing them get excited about doing good things on their own. They’ll often do something helpful and then proudly tell me they earned a token. It’s made our home feel more positive overall.
I’ve been experimenting with positive reinforcement for my 5-year-old. We started a ‘Good Behavior Jar’ where they get to put in a pom-pom when I catch them being good. It’s working pretty well so far.
But I’m curious about how other parents handle consistency. Some days I forget about the jar or run out of pom-poms. Do your kids ever get frustrated if you miss giving them a sticker or point? And how do you balance between intrinsic motivation and rewards?
I’d love to hear more about how you handled it as your kids got older. Did you phase out rewards gradually? Or did they just naturally stop needing them?
I remember when my kids were younger, we started using a points system. They’d earn points for good behavior, completing chores, or even small things like putting shoes away without being asked. We kept a chart on the fridge, and they could see their progress.
At first, it was a bit of work to keep track, but it became a habit. The kids got excited about earning points, and it cut down on the nagging. We let them choose rewards from a list we made together, which kept them motivated.
What surprised me was how it shifted our focus. Instead of always correcting bad behavior, we were looking for good things to praise. It changed the mood in our house.
It wasn’t perfect - there were still tough days. But overall, it helped us all be more positive. Now that they’re teens, we don’t use the system anymore, but I think it helped build good habits early on. 