Five Simple Rewards To Encourage Positive Behavior And Good Habits In Children

It’s every parent’s dream to give their children the best opportunities. Sadly, privilege can turn into entitlement and is one of the biggest challenges of parenting when you want your kids to grow up to become the best version of themselves. Discipline can be tough, but it is a necessary factor that helps mold positive behavior and good habits in children. 

Acknowledgment is important to children, and it can contribute to their growth. While it is tempting to give in to rewarding your kids for every good behavior they exhibit, pace yourself as this may emphasize another way of thinking, which is doing something good only when there is a reward. With that said, rewards don’t always have to come in the form of the usual material possessions such as toys. Here are more ideas. 

Extra Quality Time 

Parenting is already tough as it is, but when you also hold down a full-time job, it can be challenging. You can reward your children’s good behavior by spending quality time with them—either just the two of you or with your partner. This can mean more playtime during weekends, reading longer bedtime stories with them, or simply doing an activity that you all enjoy. 

For example, if one child loves drawing or painting pictures, reward the good behavior by creating something together. This applies to other activities as well. Spending that extra quality time together will reinforce your parent-child bond. 

Praise Their Efforts More 

Parents tend to compliment children’s ability or talent when they succeed at something, but it is better to praise their efforts. Children’s self-esteem and confidence are rooted in the approval of their parent, so they naturally look to you when they think they’ve done a good job. They may associate success to be good and therefore become competitive. 

While determination is a good trait to have, it skews with the value of humility. Their overcompetitiveness may turn them into adults who are intolerant of failure and feel constantly pressured to succeed. In the long run, it is better for them if you praise their effort because this reinforces the belief that they can undertake challenges when they work hard at it. 

Encourage Their Interests 

As your children grows, they may become interested in a variety of things and pursue hobbies. Another great way to reward their good behavior is to encourage them actively in things they are interested in. If they love dancing or singing, enroll them in classes to help them develop their abilities. 

If they are interested in books, buy them physical copies or take them to bookstores and libraries. If they love Japanese anime and culture, consider signing them up for a subscription box. Depending on what variant you get, they can receive various toys, snacks, and even different kinds of noodles. 

When you reward them for good behavior in this way, it becomes a win-win situation for all parties. Your children feel validated for doing the right thing, and you help them pursue their interests outside of academics. 

Affection 

Another nonmaterial reward you could give to your child is affection. Hugs and kisses are critical and effective ways that help reinforce positive behavior and good habits. Displaying love openly at appropriate moments normalizes it no matter your children’s gender. Physical demonstrations of affection like cuddling and hugging can convey so much more than words ever will. 

Parental warmth and love are important to children and helps build good character. There have been studies that skin contact can help improve survival chances in premature babies, so there’s no reason why children, regardless of age, should not be given hugs and kisses. Physical affection enables you to bond with your children, and it is highly encouraged. 

Do Enjoyable Activities 

Another great thing to reward your children with is promising to do fun activities after their homework or chores. It motivates them to do their tasks because it makes them look forward to what you have in store for them. A fun after-school activity can include an art session, a movie, and baking cookies. You can even have your children pick the kind of activities they would like. 

Conclusion 

It is much more ideal to reward children with non-material things. Moreover, while the goal is to enforce positive behavior and good habits, it also doesn’t hurt to give them toys and trinkets once in a while. Molding young children and their minds can be a process, but patience and determination can help you reach your goals. 

How do you reward good behavior for kids? Share your tips below.