Paying kids for good grades?

[Daddyto3gr8kids]

Hello all,I'm new here and I was just wondering how you felt about paying your kids for good grades? My daughter (7yrs old..1st grade) came home with a GREAT report card today. I don't know if I'm sold on this idea, especially so young, and I don't know how well it would work with my son (5...kinder) who's report card wasn't as good (but still good) Just wondered how you felt. Thanks

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

I find it acceptable and we pay our sons for their good report cards. In this case, money talks!

 

[DizzieDizney]

When I was younger I never got paid for good grades hmm...did i get good grades??? LOL Anyways, when ds 6 brought home his report this year I bought him an inexpensive toy. I let him know that I was very proud of him and was rewarding him. I guess either way would work.

 

[MickeyMouse418]

I think it's a really good idea to motivate kids. My parents would have gone broke if they had payed my siblings and me for recieving good grades. (which in some sense is good, I guess!)

 

[Disneycrazymom]

We don't pay them for the grades but we do usually go out for a special dinner or treat if they do well. I want them to know we are proud of the effort that they have put into school, but I also want them to learn the joy of hard work for personal satisfaction. There have also been times when DS really put in much effort but fell short of an A. When paying for certain letter grades this can be a difficult issue. I have always told my kids at home and at school that A+ effort is way more important than the actual grade can be. Kids cannot always be A students but they can always try hard.

 

[eeyore74]

I don't have kids, but my good grades were never recognized. I started not caring about what grade I got and just did what I had to do to get by. So... even if you don't pay, some kind of recognition would be real nice, like the dinner out. (Cool idea!)

 

[CEDmom]

I don't think it's a good idea to pay a specific amount for a specific grade. As someone said a kid could try really hard and just miss that A. I think some think of recognition for hard work and perseverence is a good idea. Also, I think it could really start serious sibling rivalry. What if one child has a really easy time of getting A's and another child really struggles but does their best and gets C's & B's? I know lifes not fair but do we as parents need to make that more painfully obvious?

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

My oldest nephew I rewarded with money, I almost went broke. He is now at UF full scholarship. Graduated with a 4.38 gpa (Honors) from High School, most of his classes where AP which gave him credit on his college hours. It worked.

 

[newholiday]

DS is due to get his next report card next Friday.
Ive been thinking of upping his $5 to $10. After all it is his "job". He doesnt get an allowance for doing his family duties.

We also save Chuckees for right after he gets his report cards.

 

[mudnuri]

DDs just earned Disney Dollars for their report cards. They also are in a reading program at school where they are tested every 8 weeks and their group is changed accordingly. 1st grader just got put in a 2nd grade group, and 2nd grader just got put into a 3rd grade group... they got an extra $5.00 disney dollars for this.

They also receive disney dollars for homework done every day right after snack, no arguing about it, for 2 full weeks. $1.50 each 2 weeks if done correctly.

Brandy

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

We don't pay. We praise our children for their effort and hard work but we don't put an emphasis on the grade.

The reason for this is we have one son who is severely learning disabled. He makes A's & B's right now but we know down the road he may not. Our daughter makes all A's and we don't want our son to become jealous of her.

Good grades were never rewarded but expected in my family.

Lori

 

[mudnuri]

I better clarify this.

Our DD's dont get letter grades, they get checks, check plus, etc... the first report card, they normally are not "paid"..if they've done well, we take them out for dinner.

On subsequent report cards, if the checks have not got plusses, etc.. meaning they've worked on what they needed to work on, then the situation changes. Most of the report card is "respecting others" it's big on that sort of thing. Their math report cards do have specific things they should be secure in at this age, and if they are above where they should be, again, rewarded.

this is the first year we've used DD for report cards, but it's due to our April trip.

I will say that DD's never had a problem doing homework, they always did it every night, however sometimes it was a battle for them to get it done right after school, now that they have the DD for rewards, they do not have a problem....

Brandy

 

[browneyes]

I never got paid for good grades, and I graduated HS with a 4.0. I don't pay my kids for good grades. I'd go broke. My dd is in the gifted program at her school, so her grades have always been good. My ds is in the 2nd grade and he's mananged all A's so far this year. If others want to pay their kids for good grades, that's ok. But I don't pay my kids for good grades, they love to see how excited I get when I open up their report card.

 

[Serena]

I've never paid my girls for good grades, truly, I would have no money left. My praise seems to be enough. I expect them to do their best, whether it's an A or D, and I try to make sure they get the opportunity to do their best. I usually get it.

My oldest and I got into an disagreement last year about it though. She said I stopped making a big deal out of her A's and she was hurt by it. I didn't agree, but I listened and have been careful about it since.

 

[floridafam]

DS is in first grade. His report cards are wonderful. We usually go out for dinner or something and let him pick where to go.

I think he asked me if we could go to Toy's R US last time so he could pick out a new Lego set that he had been wanting for a while. We went.

I don't see anything wrong with paying kids for good grades or for trying hard. My neice is a junior in high school and she just got all A's on her report card. My brother gave her some spending money for the trip they were taking.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

No! We do not pay them for grades. We expect them to get good grades because they are able to and for self satisfaction. We do praise them and often go out to eat or to a movie as a family. One time we did give them some Disney Dollars as Report cards came out right before we left for a Disney trip and we would not be able to go to a movie or Funstation at that time.
Sometimes a B is very hard earned. My kids are in 7th and 3rd grades and still manage to get straight A's most of the time(a "B" or 2 once in awhile). They are upset with themselves when they get the B (DS even cried this year) and will try to change it on their own. I can't imagine how much MORE they would be upset if they realized they would not get a set amount because of the B.

 

[bananiem]

We take them out to dinner to celebrate but we don't pay them. Actually we go the other way. We expect good grades and for them to try their best. If we think they're slacking off and it shows in their schoolwork we've told them we will start taking away extracurricular activities until it gets better.
We believe school comes first, activities are the reward for doing well.

 

[luv2nascar]

DD is 8 1/2 and in 3rd grade. She was struggling at the beginning of the year in school. They have a new math program in our school district and she struggled with that among other things. Big transition from 2nd to 3rd grade.
She used to get an allowance but since school has started she doesn't have a lot of time for chores. So she really isn't getting one anymore.

She also is involved in our church, sings in junior choir etc, and is currently taking viola lessons (practice is needed almost every night 100 minutes a week) etc.

So as an incentive we pay her $1 per test for A's and B's, C's are even, and if she gets any D's or F's she has to pay us a $1 for each one. I'd say it average about $4-$5 per week she gets. She hasn't had to pay us but one time. It really has helped her grades improve drastically. She is saving her money for Disney she says. I am going to surprise her and get some Disney Dollars and give her those some weeks.

I guess it depends on the child. She was getting $2 week allowance so it's not that much more really and the good grades are so worth it without the fighting and fuss. She works hard because she knows she will be rewarded.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

My dad used to give us $1 for A's and 50 cents for B's. It was kinda low, but the actual reward of him being proud of us was much better.

 

[jsmith]

I have never paid my kids for grades-just expected that they would do whatever they did to best of their ability. We would take away sports or other extras for unacceptable grades but it has never been required. Clemson University is now handsomely rewarding my oldest for his grades in HS and his brother has the goal of doing as well for himself so it does not seem needed at this point.