I’ve been reading about different parenting techniques, and positive reinforcement keeps coming up. Can someone explain the basic idea behind it and how it’s supposed to work with kids? Are there any studies showing if it’s actually effective long-term? Just trying to understand the concept better before I decide if I want to try using it.
In our house, we’ve had some success with positive reinforcement. My 11-year-old used to struggle with cleaning his room, so we tried making it into a game. Now we set a timer and see how much he can tidy up before it goes off. He gets pretty competitive with himself!
We also started a ‘helper of the week’ tradition. Whoever does the most to pitch in around the house gets to choose a fun weekend activity for the family. It’s been interesting to see how this has motivated him to look for ways to help out more.
Of course, some days are better than others. But overall, I’ve noticed he seems more willing to tackle chores without a fuss these days.
I’ve been trying positive reinforcement with my 5-year-old. We started small with putting toys away. Some days it works great, other days not so much.
I’m curious about long-term effects. Has anyone seen their older kids keep up good habits without constant rewards? And how do you handle days when they just refuse to do anything?
We use a mix of verbal praise and small rewards now. He gets so excited when I tell him he did a great job. But sometimes I worry if I’m overdoing it or if he’ll always expect something in return.
What worked best as your kids got older? Did you have to change your approach over time?
I’ve used positive reinforcement with my kids for a while now and noticed some good results. It’s basically about praising or rewarding behaviors we want to see more of.
For my older child, we started a sticker chart for doing homework without reminders. She got excited seeing the stickers add up and now does it on her own most days.
My younger child responds well to verbal praise. When he helps set the table without being asked, I make sure to tell him how much I appreciate it. He beams with pride and often offers to help again the next day.
I think it works because kids naturally want to please us and feel good about themselves. The key has been consistency and finding what motivates each child individually.
Started using positive reinforcement when my kids were younger. Saw some results over time.
For my 9-year-old, we do a weekly chore chart. She gets to pick a small reward if she completes everything. Motivates her to stay on top of things.
My 12-year-old prefers verbal praise. I try to catch him doing something helpful and acknowledge it. Seems to boost his confidence.
I remember when I first started using positive reinforcement with my kids. It took some trial and error, but it made a big difference over time.
For my son, we used a point system where he could earn screen time for completing chores without complaining. At first, he’d do the bare minimum, but gradually he started taking more initiative.
My daughter responded better to verbal praise. When she helped her younger brother without being asked, I’d make a point to tell her how proud I was. She’d light up and look for more ways to help out.
It wasn’t always smooth sailing. There were times when the novelty wore off and we had to adjust our approach. But overall, focusing on the good behaviors instead of harping on the bad ones created a more positive atmosphere at home. The kids seemed happier and more confident too. 