Reward charts and Ideas

As a mother I'm constantly re thinking and re planning my reward system.  I was looking for a system that works without too much hassle, something that was easy to stick to and implement.  Here is what works for us and what I have learned.

1.  You need to be consistent - decide before hand what rules and behaviour is acceptable in your home and stick to these rules.  This is a tough one and I also find myself being more lenient at stages, but stick to the basics!

2.  Make a list that can be displayed with your rules on - this makes it so much easier for all the family members as they know what is expected of them.  This does not need to be a fancy list at all, here is our list:

 In stead of just writing down all the house rules I've also drawn little pictures for my little non reader.  All the rules are written on an umbrella, because they protect us from the storms that will follow if they are not adhered too.  :)  You can read more on our poster here.

3. Decide beforehand what qualifies as a reward, this can be something small.  We have a little basket in our home that contains sheets of stickers, hair clips, small, cheap toys, etc that she can choose from whenever she qualifies for a reward.  I never spend more than R40 a month on this, cut up sheets of stickers for example to stretch the pack or separate hair clips to add more to your basket.  Rewards do not have to be a physical item, it can be a visit to your local park or a treat as well.  Decide what will work for your family.

4. Have a physical reward chart or system that they can see.  We use a clothes peg system which works great.  She needs 10 pegs in order to qualify for a reward, each morning we count the pegs as well sneaking in some maths!

This beautiful Russian Doll was made by a dear friend, contact her via email if you would like to order one.
You can also download this freebie to use as a reward chart.

5. Praise any good behaviour, even if it is super small!  Children thrive on discipline and praise and just saying something as simple as "Mommy noticed you share your sweeties with your friend, that was so big of you and I'm so proud of you" can make a huge difference.

6. Try not to make the reward system to complicated - for little ones keep the amount of stickers, pegs, stars that they need to achieve to qualify for a reward to a minimum for 2 year old and up you can start with as low as 7.  For younger kiddos you can even make it as low as 2 - 3.  This will encourage them as they see progress.

7. Enjoy it with your child and see this as a tool to help them learn and grow.  Remember nothing is cast in stone!

Any ideas on reward systems?  Please feel free to share with us!