Keep Kids In Line With Reward Boards

As parents we need all the tools we can get. Reward boards are a great way to get kids to do what you want them to do. At the same time, reward boards help them to take ownership in their behavior and have a good attitude about it. The idea is that kids get credit when they're caught doing something good. When some of us were little, we just had gold stars on a piece of paper. But everything is better now! Reward boards are a cute and fun way to get kids involved in their own discipline.

Reward Board Basics

Kids basically get "points" for every good behavior. Behaviors can be pre-defined or negotiated as you go. You may want to let kids nominate themselves for points. The key is that they are active in the process and that they know there is a reward they can work toward. When they feel in control of the reward board, they feel more in control of their behavior and have more incentive to do right.

Make Your Own Reward Board

I'm sure you can find a pre-made version, and I even found software reward programs for sale online, but reward boards are easy to make at home with a few simple supplies from the craft store. A plus to creating your own is that you can customize the look and function to your child.

A friend made these with corkboard, a stencil, and paint. Her twin daughters love the princess crown theme and the colored pushpins are functional as well as decorative. The girls get to add "jewels" to the crown every time they do something good. Mom pays them a quarter per jewel at the end of the day. They have to save up the money, but at their birthdays they get to spend it on whatever they like.

You don't have to pay in cash, you can devise whatever system you like. You may want to require a certain amount of points per day to qualify for dessert!

Parents Benefit In More Ways Than One

Reward boards are not only good tools to help kids to monitor their own behavior. They are also great reminder for parents to focus on positive reinforcement we can give our kids. It's so easy to point out the negative. Sometimes we forget that we need to give kids attention for the good things they are doing every day! A reward board in plain sight is a visual reminder to give your kids needed feedback. When you praise your child you'll encourage better behavior and you'll feel better about your parenting.