The easiest way to make sure your kid finishes chores is to reward them. How? We got tips!
Whether it is children or adults, everyone is working for something in return, knowingly or unknowingly. It is a human tendency to work for something in return, or better, a reward.
In this article...
- How can rewarding help?
- Quick ways of easy rewards
If adults are attracted towards something in return, then it is pretty obvious that children — who are anyhow more energetic and hyper — would be tempted for some rewards?
Rewarding children for completing tasks or for achieving milestones can also be a good way of teaching them the importance of the concept of ‘give and take’. It is also important to reward children for even the small victories, as it makes them understand that it is not just the materialistic big victories, but also the small, day-to-day achievements that count in daily deeds.
In a world as tiring as today’s world, it is important to make sure that your children do not feel pressurised to achieve the “big” things to compete with others or please others.
However, some times parents worry that rewarding children for small achievements can be a little expensive for them. But worry not, it is not always the big and expensive gifts that cheer up your toddlers. It is usually a thought that counts.
We got some quick and inexpensive reward ideas:
Movie night!
One of the most fun and a sure way to bonding with your children (and their friends) can be to sit together in your PJs and watch a fun movie along with popcorn and treats. Make sure you book movie nights for something that your child hates doing such as finishing holiday homework on time or cleaning their room. You can also give them a free pass of choosing their favourite movie.
Coupons
Just like their favourite restaurant, design some coupons that can read things such as ‘no chores’, ‘day out in woods’, ‘free grocery pass’, ‘indoor picnic’ and so on. When you want to reward your children, ask them to pick a coupon from a bowl. This will also add mystery to them about what reward they will be getting now. And in order to reach their favourite reward, they will work harder and faster.
Late bedtime
On weekends, if your kid finishes homework or chores faster than the time assigned, then you can probably allow them to stay awake 30 minutes past the bedtime. This will not affect their sleeping schedule but will give them some extra portion of happiness that they will remember for the next couple of days too.
Extra TV time
Just like the extended bedtime, a few extra minutes of TV time will also help them work harder towards getting a few more minutes in front of the screen. The same is also applicable to all digital screens. Just make sure you use this very judiciously, and not let them take extra advantage of this.
Just like rewards, you can also use the methods of cutting bedtime and TV time if they fail to behave properly. You can use these rewards in reverse to teach children that everything in life comes with a fair price and nothing can be handed free to them.
Tell us what you think