Reward Charts why?

Recently a friend (with no children) stated that she didn't think Reward Charts were a good idea. She then asked me why I use them.

This is my response:

Reward Charts are great for initiating new behaviours in children. The idea of a Reward Chart is not to have a physical reward for every good deed or intention that your child has. But to recognize the behaviours that you have already identified as important in teaching your children in the immediate future. I always have 2-3 behaviours that I am working on with my children. I know what they are, I have them written down. I explain to my children what they will be getting reward sticker-magnets. Then as the kids display the behaviour, they are praised and given a reward sticker-magnet.

My kids are still praised for other unidentified 'reward' behaviours, just not given a physical reward for it. After a short period (usually a week or so) when the children have clearly demonstrated that they are capable of the behaviour, we move on to a new reward-sticker for their reward chart.

The child has already clearly demonstrated that they are capable of the 'right' behaviour, so if the 'right' behaviour starts to disappear after the reward period then there are consequences. Consequences or discipline for the wrong behaviour varies from age, stage and personality. We have however, always found that logical consequences usually have the most impact.

My friend, after my explanation then understood the power of the reward chart when used not as a bribing tool but a training tool!

A recent example of this scenario is with my son. Who is 3 1/2. He has enjoyed watching 'Masterchef' with us in the evenings (if he has had a day sleep). Since watching the program he has picked up the phrase 'oh my god'. Now for our family, this is not acceptable. After we noticed this phrasing popping out more and more frequently we discussed why we didn't like the phrase, possible alternatives and that for using the right alternative a reward sticker-magnet would be given. When the phrase popped out one night mid dinner time, our son was asked to leave the table, to sit on the step (our version of time out) and when he had thought about an alternative he could come back and join us. He came back to the table, told us he would now use the phrase 'honk, honk' instead and since then we have not heard the phrase pop out of his mouth once!