Rewards

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“reward” is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “a thing given in recognition of one’s service, effort, or achievement.”

A parent can give a child a reward for getting dressed by himself in the morning. The question is, should the parent give the child a reward for this behavior — or for any other behavior?

Indeed, some people object to the idea of giving rewards to children altogether. They want the child to do whatever he’s supposed to do “because it’s the right thing” or at the very least, “because his parents asked him to do it.” They’re also worried that rewards might cultivate a “what’s in it for me?” attitude, squelching the natural desire to be and do good.

In fact, some believe that rewards rob activities of their true value. This could happen, for instance, if an older sibling was rewarded for sharing his treat with a younger sibling. The reward is thought to rob the child of the inherent satisfaction of acting kindly.