I’ve been trying to help my kids stick with things longer, but I’m not sure I’m going about it the right way. Any parents or teachers have advice on using positive reinforcement to build persistence? Looking for practical tips that actually work, not just theory. Thanks!
With my child, we’ve found that turning persistence into a fun challenge works well. We have a ‘Stick-with-it Superhero’ game where they earn points for tackling tricky tasks without giving up. The points add up to small privileges they enjoy. I’ve noticed it’s helped shift their mindset. Now when something’s hard, they often say ‘Time to be a Stick-with-it Superhero!’ and dive in. It’s not perfect, but it’s made a difference in how they approach challenges.
I’ve been trying something similar with my 5-year-old. We have a chart on the fridge, and they get a star for sticking with a hard task for 10 minutes.
It’s helping a bit, but I wonder if there are other ways to encourage persistence without always giving rewards? Sometimes my kid still gives up easily on new things.
What do you all think about mixing in praise or setting small goals? I’m curious how others handle this tricky balance.
In our house, we’ve been using a ‘growth garden’ to encourage persistence. The kids have little paper plants they can ‘grow’ by working on tasks that challenge them.
For every 15 minutes of effort, they get to add a leaf or flower to their plant. It’s not about finishing, just putting in the time.
They really enjoy seeing their plants fill up over time. We talk about how their brains are growing just like the plants when they keep trying.
It’s been cool to see them get excited about tackling harder things. They’ll say things like ‘I’m going to grow my plant today!’ when starting homework or a new skill.
This approach has helped make persistence feel more fun and rewarding for them.
I’ve been in your shoes, Isaac. With my kids, I found that catching them in the act of persisting worked wonders. When I noticed them sticking with a tough homework problem or practicing an instrument longer than usual, I’d point it out. ‘Wow, you’ve been working on that for 20 minutes straight!’ It helped them realize their own progress.
For my younger one, we used a ‘challenge jar.’ He’d pull out slips with small tasks like building a tall tower or solving a puzzle. The focus was on the effort, not just finishing. My older one responded well to setting her own goals and tracking them. She’d decide to read for 30 minutes daily, and we’d check in weekly.
The key was making persistence itself the thing to celebrate, not just the end result. It took time, but they started to see setbacks as part of the process, not failure. 
Our kids get stickers for trying hard at tough tasks. They can trade stickers for small rewards.
Simple, but it works for us. Keeps them motivated without too much fuss.