I’ve been trying to encourage my kids to be more proactive and take initiative with things, and I want to reinforce that behavior when I see it. Does anyone have suggestions for good ways to reward or recognize kids when they show initiative? I’m looking for ideas beyond just verbal praise. Thanks for any tips!
Hey there! I’ve been down this road with my two teens. One thing that worked well was a point system tied to their allowance. They’d earn extra points for taking initiative, like starting homework without reminders or tidying up common areas unprompted.
Those points could be cashed in for things they wanted, like a new game or a trip to the movies with friends. It took a while, but they started looking for ways to earn more points.
Another approach was giving them more freedom when they showed responsibility. If they consistently did their chores without being asked, they’d get a later curfew on weekends. My oldest really responded to that!
Every kid is different though. What motivates one might not work for another. It’s all about finding what clicks for your family. 
In our house, we’ve found that turning chores into mini-challenges works pretty well. My kid loves beating the clock, so we’ll set a timer and see how many toys can be put away or how quickly the table can be set. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s helped make some tasks feel less like work.
We also started a ‘mystery reward’ jar. When my child does something without being asked, they get to pull a slip from the jar. The rewards vary - could be staying up 30 minutes later or picking the movie for family night. It keeps things interesting and unpredictable.
For our family, a reward chart has been really helpful. The kids get stickers when they do things without being asked, like making their beds or helping set the table.
Once they fill up a row, they can pick a small treat or a fun activity. My daughter loves going to the park, while my son usually chooses extra screen time.
We also have a ‘helper of the week’ title. Whoever shows the most initiative gets to wear a special badge and pick what’s for dinner on Friday.
It’s been amazing to see how excited they get about doing things on their own now. They’re always looking for ways to earn those stickers!
We’ve been trying different things to encourage initiative with our 5-year-old. Recently, we started a ‘Superhero Helper’ game. When our child does something helpful without being asked, they get to put on a cape for an hour.
It’s been fun to see how excited they get about wearing it. Sometimes they even look for ways to be helpful just to earn cape time.
I’m curious about long-term effects though. Has anyone found their kids keep up good habits as they get older? Or do the rewards need to keep changing?
We use a mix of small rewards and extra privileges. My 9-year-old loves choosing the weekend activity when she takes initiative during the week.
For my 12-year-old, earning extra allowance for proactive tasks works well. It’s all about finding what motivates each kid.