Do your kids get rewarded for good report cards?

[NMAmy]

DD just got a report card--all A's and one B. I'm very proud of her, particularly since she switched schools mid-semester and was having some real problems with math. She brought that grade all the way up to an A.

When I showed her the report card, she told me, "Looks like you owe me some books, Mom." Since she first started school, I've always gotten her a new paperback book for each A she received. She's always thought it was great but this led to another discussion (as it does every semester) about how other kids get up to $20 per A. I'm thinking maybe they only get one A but that's neither here nor there.

I've told DD that school is her job--the books are a reward for doing a good job and to encourage her enjoyment of reading and learning.

So, do you reward your kids for good grades and, if so, how?

 

[shortbun]

My son's school doesn't do grades, it's an informal school. They do have progress reports and those are rewarded with smiles, hugs and a pat on the back! My nephew makes great grades and his parents pay him for them. He doesn't get an allowance or have a job. They say it's their way of showing him how his hard work pays off. I guess it's more toward the reality of life and a job-you work, you get paid. He gets a bonus for straight A's and has received it many times. I think it's fine.

 

[punkin]

No rewards for good grades and no punishments for bad...just my praise and/or disapointment. With my older child this is enough. I don't know about the youngest yet cause she's in a school w/ no grades.

I also don't really care that much about grades.

 

[barkley]

no rewards beyond verbal praise.

our report cards show each quarters grades on them, so we can compare how they are doing in each class from quarter to quarter-we review them with each of our kids and make a big deal out of those classes that they have shown improvement in, we also discuss those that have slipped a bit.

we truly beleive that good work is it's own reward.

 

[Goofball]

I think books as rewards for good grades is one of the best ideas I ever did hear. Good for you and your DD!

 

[Jennifer S]

No rewards here. Grandma and Grandpa sometimes give a dollar or two if there are here at report card time.

Lots of praise though.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

My brother and I always did. We got a certain amount of money for every A and a smaller amount for every B. I'm proud to say that I got almost straight A's for my entire school career. However, I'm not sure I would do that if I had more than 1 child. My brother was (is) very smart, but his grades were never as high as mine. I think he felt a little resentful. And I, being the older sister, gloated as much as I could.

 

[NMAmy]

I think books as rewards for good grades is one of the best ideas I ever did hear. Good for you and your DD!

Thank you, Laura! She loves to read so it's as good an incentive for her at 15 as it was at 6.

 

[Maleficent13]

I think books as rewards for good grades is one of the best ideas I ever did hear. Good for you and your DD!

I agree! Obviously, DD is way too young for me to have to worry about this, but I think I'll file this away for future reference.

 

[floridafam]

We usually let them pick books, too.

We will usually let them pick where we go out to eat after conferences, too.

If they happen to ask for a toy or to stay up late one night at any given time throughout the year, we usually say yes. They both work really hard and I like to recognize that.

 

[mommystieg]

We usually reward DD#1 at the end of the school year with a trip to Cheesecake Factory for overall good grades. One semester she was having a little trouble in science (mostly from not applying herself) so we told her that if she could raise her grade from a C to an A she could go to Build A Bear. After the trip to BAB I told her that now we knew the truth and she would have to keep up the good grades
DD#2 just started kindergarten and we will also reward her at the end of the year for overall good grades. We offer praise and encouragement throughout the school year and reward them at the end of the year.

 

[Rex Rules]

We absolutely, positively DO NOT reward for report cards. DH's parents did that this with him and his brother, a system THEY thought worked out great. Well, it only worked out great for DH's brother. DH had to work really, really hard in school. Same with DD - she doesn't love school.
DH's parents asked once if they could reward for report cards and DH said no way, that caused enough emotional damage in my life already. They were shocked and surprised, had no idea he felt that way. He explained that DD's "job" is school. Her job is to do her best - this is what we expect of her. She is ADD - inattentive type (though they do not know this).
She gets plenty of surprises during the year. Just not as rewards for doing her school work. She also gets praise, praise and more praise.

 

[horseshowmom]

I think the book idea is great. It's always smart to encourage reading.

In our family, we gave DD $20 if she had all A's on her report card - NOT $20 per A (which I wouldn't agree with at all).

 

[NMAmy]

I agree! Obviously, DD is way too young for me to have to worry about this, but I think I'll file this away for future reference.

HA! You know, Hepzibah Matilda is going to end up owing me big time for all the stuff I've talked her mom into.

 

[lulugirl]

I think books as rewards for good grades is one of the best ideas I ever did hear. Good for you and your DD!

I agree, great idea!

 

[disykat]

No rewards here - however, I agree that if you're going to reward, books sounds like a great way.

 

[Texan Mouseketeer]

When my siblings and I were in school, my parents never rewarded other than verbal praise (and disappointment when things were bad...) because they wanted us to be intrinsically (sp?) motivated to do well. So far with my DS who is in Kindergarten, we are only rewarding for good behavior because he's having such a hard time with that. I don't know about the grades yet. I am hoping we also won't need to for him, but we'll see how he does. Right now, the only 'grades' are checks and minuses and he gets almost all checks.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

We bring whichever kids make the honor roll out to dinner. We go to one restaurant that the kids agree on (that's the hard part, them agreeing ). At the end of the school year, each child gets to pick a restaurant. I don't pay the kids for good grades. I did get paid $1/per A when I was growing up. I don't think that there is really anything wrong with that, but not what we're doing with our kids. We still owe them for the first marking period, but we were going to wait until my DD gets home from college before we go.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

So far with my DS who is in Kindergarten, we are only rewarding for good behavior because he's having such a hard time with that.

Sounds like my youngest, who is also in kindergarten. Sometimes just behaving all day long and not having to sit in the "thinking chair" is a big accomplishment when you're 5-6yo.

 

[mickeyfan2]

No, grades are the reward for doing well in school. School is the kids "job" and they should do it well.