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Creative methods for rewarding your child

There comes a day, in every parents life when we decide it is time for our children to help. While the chores may not start out as much, the child who is helping should still be rewarded for a job well done. Rather than a "chore chart" I would suggest creating a "reward chart" for your children. The reward chart should be just that, this can be done by creating a brightly colored chart, using construction paper and a little bit of creativity. I would suggest a one week reward chart for children of the ages two, and up. While older children can have a longer span of time from completing the chores, to their reward. It is important to keep in mind every child is different, and you may need to make slight altercations to the idea of a reward chart.

You can expect to help your children preform their chores, for the first couple of years. However, your own reward is knowing that you are helping to instill important values in your child. Below I have compiled a short list of tasks that are age appropriate, along with suggestions on the rewards you can give your children.

Children two to five years of age:
- Sort laundry into colored and white piles.
- Dusting low surfaces.
- Wiping spills, especially ones they have created.
- Placing napkins on the table, during meals.
- Using polite words such as please, and thank you.
- Put parent-approved papers in the trash bin.
- Sweeping the floor, with a pint sized broom.
- Picking up their toys, and placing them in the appropriate places.

Children five to eight years of age:
- Making the bed.
- Feeding the pets.
- Making a healthy snack without help.
- Matching and folding freshly laundered socks.
- Reading out loud to themselves, you, or the dog or cat.
- Help setting the table, using plastic dishes
- Helping mom bring groceries inside.
- Brush the dog or cat.

Children eight to eleven years of age:
- Clear the table, and load the dishwasher.
- Unload the dishwasher.
- Wheel the trash, or recycling to the curb.
- Help with yard work IE: watering the flowers, raking, filling bird feeders.
- Help pick up trash from the car floors.
- Clean their room.
- Finish homework on time.
- Get ready for bed, without having to be told.

As for the rewards, generally you can just reward a small child with items as simple as a sticker. You may want to offer smaller children rewards, such as letting them choose a favorite food for their snack, letting them choose their clothes for the day, or allowing them to choose which book is read during story time. However, for the older children you may want to offer things such as a new video from the store, or a trip to the park, or to purchase them a new sassy tee shirt. The reward system will vary from family, to family and from child to child.

Creative methods for rewarding your child

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