Hey everyone, I’m looking for some fresh ideas on how to reward good behavior in my family. We’ve been trying the usual stuff like stickers and extra screen time, but it’s getting a bit stale. What’s worked well for you guys? I’m especially interested in rewards that don’t cost much money. Any tips or experiences you can share would be great!
Our kids earn points for good behavior. They cash them in for things like extra playtime or choosing dinner.
Seeing them get excited about earning points is cool. It’s also teaching them about saving up for bigger rewards.
I’ve found that turning rewards into experiences can be really effective. Recently, we started a ‘Family Adventure Jar’ where we put slips of paper with fun, free activities. When my kid hits a behavior goal, they get to pick from the jar. It could be anything from a picnic in the park to a movie night with popcorn. The anticipation of the surprise activity seems to work better than material rewards, and it gives us quality time together too.
I love hearing about all these creative reward ideas! We’re still figuring things out with our 5-year-old. Right now, we use a simple sticker chart for things like putting toys away or helping set the table. When they fill a row, they get to pick a small prize from a box.
I’m curious about how other parents handle rewards as kids get older. Do you keep using the same system or change it up? And how do you balance rewards with just expecting them to do things as part of the family?
We tried a ‘special time’ reward recently where our kid got to choose an activity for us to do together. They picked making play dough, and it was a hit! Any other low-cost ideas like that?
In our family, we’ve found that creating special one-on-one time works really well as a reward. When the kids have been doing great with their chores or schoolwork, they get to plan a fun activity with me or their dad.
My daughter loves baking, so she might choose to make cookies together. My son is into science, so we might do a cool experiment. It doesn’t cost much, but the kids really look forward to it.
We also have a ‘Good Deeds Jar’ where they put in marbles for kind actions. Once it’s full, we do something fun as a family like a picnic or game night.
These rewards have been working well because the kids feel proud and get extra attention. It’s nice to see them excited about doing good things.
I like the Family Adventure Jar idea! In our house, we’ve had success with a point system. The kids earn points for good behavior and chores, then they can cash them in for various rewards. Some favorites are staying up 30 minutes later on a weekend night, picking the movie for family movie night, or choosing what we have for dinner.
My 14-year-old loves getting to borrow the car to practice driving (with me, of course). For my 17-year-old, extra gas money is a big motivator. We also do small things like letting them have a friend over or going for ice cream.
The key was finding rewards that meant something to each kid. It took some trial and error, but now they’re pretty excited about earning points. And it’s taught them about saving up for bigger rewards too. 