As a parent, you know very well that the best way to encourage good behavior is to give them rewards for good deeds rather than punishments for when they’re acting out. Children tend to learn when they get incentives – and we all need something to motivate us, after all.

The only problem is that children want the one thing they can’t always have in the middle of the week: candy, chocolates, waffles, pancakes – the list goes on. Anything sweet is a great reward, in your kids’ eyes, but not always the best choice of reward according to parents.

Luckily, there are a few other ideas which you can both agree about. Show your kids that you care about their hobbies and interests, first of all, and you should be able to come up with a ton of ideas for rewards. Here are a few just to get you started.

Movie night with popcorn

Sure, this one does include some snacks but popcorn is considered to be quite healthy, in any way. Just don’t drench it in salt and butter and your conscience should be clear. A movie night with mom and dad might just be the perfect way to end a gray and gloomy Wednesday.

Let your kid know before a big test or something challenging that, if they do good, you can all watch a movie of their choice together over dinner. Naturally, you’re not going to deprive them of this if they come home crying about not doing as well as they thought, though, as any effort should be good enough.

The trick is to give them an incentive to do their very best and make it clear that their best is always good enough for you.

Boost their gaming goals

Do you have children who would sit in front of their computer games all evening if they could? While your role may be to tell them to get off the computer, in general, you could always take advantage of their interest and make them work a bit for it.

Let your kid know that they can be allowed to buy osrs gold, for example, as long as they put in a bit of extra effort with their homework and chores this week. It’s a great way for your kids to see that you’re not always working against them, and that they can enjoy their hobbies undisturbed as long as they take care of their responsibilities first.

You could use it as a surprise reward as well, by the way, to encourage good behavior. Seen your kid being extra sweet to their siblings lately or helping our mom and dad with something without even being asked? Treat them to a little something as a surprise – you’re guaranteed to see the same kind of behavior again and again.

The best kind of gifts come after hard work or good behavior. You want your kids to understand that as long as they try their best and their intentions are right, they may be rewarded – not every time but at least once in a while.

This post is a collaborative effort by St. Louis Dad.


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By Richie

I'm a 40-year-old father blessed with two wonderful children: a 13-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son. My life revolves around my beautiful wife, who is the cornerstone of our family. Without her unwavering support, none of what I do would be possible. By day, I serve as a network administrator for a local school district, ensuring smooth operations in the realm of technology. During the evenings, you'll often find me engrossed in various creative pursuits, from illustrating books to crafting websites or composing music. But above all, my priority is spending quality time with my kids. Parenthood has been a profound journey of growth and discovery for me, and now, armed with a keyboard instead of a pen, I'm eager to share my experiences and insights with others.

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