Treats are often used as an incentive to get children to clean up their room, pick up their toys, finish their homework and go to bed on time. If used in the right way, they can teach good habits and a sense of responsibility.
Most children are able to understand the idea of working towards a goal like getting to go to their favourite activity if they do certain jobs during the week. Sticker charts are a great way to visually remind them that their good behaviour is moving them closer to a desired goal.
Treats don’t need to be sweets or junk food and can be inexpensive. Why not tell your child they can have a friend over if they go to bed on time every night. Mark their chart when they behave and they will learn to recognise good behaviour.
Using treats to get your child to stop doing something, like crying, is not an incentive but rather a bribe, and won’t benefit them in the long run. Rewards should spark a child’s interest and encourage them to take responsibility for their own behaviour.
