Video: 5. Good Behaviour

Tip five: Promoting better behaviour

Being smart about how you use rewards can really encourage children to behave better and help them to follow agreed house rules.

Consequences influence behaviour – if someone gives us something we like, such as a reward when we behave in a certain way, then we are more likely to behave in that way again.

Parents can use rewards in this way to improve their children’s behaviour.

To do this, parents should be –

• relevant – give rewards that the child really values – agree what these are with your child.
• realistic – don’t give rewards that are too large or disruptive to the rest of the household.
• fair – use similar reward systems for the different children in your family.
• selective – only give rewards when your child behaves in the way you are trying to encourage.
• consistent – always give rewards when the behaviour you’re trying to encourage happens.
• clear – make sure your child understands what you are rewarding.
• timely – give the reward as soon after the behaviour you are trying to encourage happens.
• “as good as their word” – always follow through on a reward that you promise.

Rewards can be used to encourage effort – so that you encourage trying to follow the rules as well as succeeding.

Parents should work together as a team – so that both parents (if there are two) are using the same reward system in the same way.

It can be very motivating if rewards are recorded on a chart which is displayed publicly.