| Whether it is applied to adults or kids, giving a little | | | | that is not relevant to your child will bear no value. For |
| praise can significantly help increase a person's interest | | | | example, preschool children will like getting stickers and |
| in a subject or an activity. This is one aspect of | | | | toys, while teenagers may prefer getting extra pocket |
| parenting skills that parents need to understand and | | | | money. Follow this basic common sense parenting. |
| apply correctly. If parents overdo it, positive | | | | - Timing is everything. Consistency is the key. Make it |
| reinforcements such as praising become useless | | | | an everyday routine for your kids. It helps them |
| because it becomes ever-increasingly meaningless to | | | | understand rules and expectations. Also, immediately |
| the child who is receiving them. On the other hand, if | | | | reinforce good behavior. The shorter the delay |
| positive reinforcements are irregular and inconstant | | | | between the behavior and reinforcement, the greater |
| with the good behavior performed by the children, it | | | | the chance of strengthening the behavior. When a |
| also becomes meaningless to the child and it does not | | | | new behavior performed by your child is desired, keep |
| serve to shape the child's learning. | | | | providing him with positive reinforcements. Until that |
| Here are some common sense parenting key points | | | | behavior is instilled in your kid and is established, then |
| to help parents effectively implement positive | | | | you can cut back on the positive reinforcements. |
| reinforcement. With developed parenting skill, parents | | | | - Change the types of reinforcements given your child |
| can easily administer appropriate parenting solutions: | | | | so he doesn't get bored of the reward or find that the |
| - Send a clear message. Parents must be very clear | | | | same reward gradually diminishes in value over time. |
| on what is good or bad actions and behavior. If your | | | | Wherever possible, try to reward your child with |
| kid performs a good act, praise him and make it clear | | | | non-material items. Encouragement or a gentle pat on |
| to him what you are praising him for. And if the action | | | | the back all serves the same purpose. Don't make it a |
| is undesirable, avoid giving vague warnings like "please | | | | point to have your child used to getting a material item |
| behave yourself". This doesn't give the child a good | | | | for a job well done. |
| and clear idea of what action he has taken was | | | | - Good behavior should come instinctively from the |
| wrong. Let your kids be clear of your parenting | | | | child, and not done because he or she wants the |
| guidelines. | | | | reward that is hanging at the end of the action. One |
| - Choose your reinforcements. Rewards must match | | | | way to instill a proper sense of what's right or wrong is |
| the magnitude of the behavior. They should match the | | | | to combine praise along with an encouragement. This |
| child's age, capabilities, and the effort required to earn | | | | serves to strike the point across more strongly and |
| them. Kids have unique preferences. A reinforcement | | | | helps reduce emphasis on just the praise alone. |