Should You Give Kids Rewards for Good Behavior? (Weekend Reading)
Linda Ranson Jacobs is a good friend. She has been a mentor and you’ll find many of her articles and insights here on Hope 4 Hurting Kids. One of the positions she holds very strongly that gets an awful lot of feedback is that rewards based behavior system do not work. She has written a couple of articles about it on her blog at DC4K:
A Class Without Stickers! Are You Kidding Me? (Part 1)
and
A Class Without Stickers! Are You Kidding Me? (Part 2)
Questions for Further Reflection and Discussion
- Do you use rewards based systems in your ministry? In your home?
- What has been your experience?
- Do you agree or disagree with the assessment that rewards based systems do not work?
- What do see as the advantages of rewards based systems?
- What do you see as the disadvantages?
- Have you ever used the celebrations Linda suggests in the article?
Wayne is the founder and executive director of Hope 4 Hurting Kids. He is a happily married father of four kids with a passion for helping young people who are going through rough times. In addition to Hope 4 Hurting Kids, Wayne previously started I Am A Child of Divorce and Divorce Ministry 4 Kids to help kids who are dealing with the disruption of their parents' relationship. These are now part of Hope 4 Hurting Kids. Wayne speaks frequently at conferences and churches on issues related to helping kids learn to deal with difficult emotions and life in modern families.
Wayne lives with his wife, three youngest kids, three dogs and an insane collection of his kids' other pets outside of Columbus, Ohio. In addition to his work with Hope 4 Hurting Kids, Wayne is a partner in a local consulting firm, an avid reader, coaches his son's soccer team and is a proud supporter of Leicester City Football Club (and yes, for those in know, his affinity for the club does predate the 2016 championship).
You can reach Wayne at wayne@hope4hurtingkids.com.
