Happy weekend to all the members of this community, it is a great pleasure to participate in the Engagement proposed by @ galenkp, because the topics are very interesting and controversial.
.These topics allow us to see the different points of view that exist when approaching the same issue and we can broaden our knowledge when we read other people and sometimes it may modify our criteria or enrich it.
.My entry this week will be on topic # 2
SHOULD CHILDREN GAIN FINANCIAL REWARDS FOR DOING EVERY DAY TASKS AND CHORES AROUND THE HOUSE ?
A Throughout the years the system of rewards and punishments has been used to motivate children to fulfill their responsibilities at home.
.I remember that as I grew up my parents gave me various responsibilities at home, at first my grandmother assisted me until I learned according to the complexity of the task, so I remember scrubbing the floor and organizing the kitchen, or ironing the clothes.
.I was always praised when I managed to do it correctly, that was my reward if I did not do my homework because I could not go out to talk to my friends or do anything I liked, and as a teenager the punishment was not to go to the youth parties that I liked so much.
.With my children I tried to incorporate them to the participation of the housework from an early age, making them see that they were part of a whole that is called family, in which their participation was very important and necessary.
.They grew up in an environment where the efforts of all family members were valued and recognized.
I believe that praise, expression of gratitude and celebration of achievements can be powerful stimuli to strengthen the children's sense of belonging, autonomy and responsibility.
.I never liked to threaten or punish them if they did not comply, I tried to talk and I had to reach agreements and conciliations, but always under the principle that they were committed to their task because it was important for others.
.I have read about theories that state that rewards are a powerful motivator for behavior change and that offering children incentives for completing household chores may increase their motivation and commitment to those responsibilities.
.However, it is also noted that overuse of material rewards can have long-term negative effects on children's development.
So parents must have a check and balance in not erring on the side of excess, for if children perform household chores solely for the promise of material reward, they may not internalize the intrinsic value of teamwork, responsibility and contribution to the family's well-being. This could result in a mindset oriented solely toward instant and material gratification, rather than cultivating a work ethic based on collaboration.
.Although I didn't do it with my children, I think that if parents use it as a motivational tool, they should not overdo it and along with it foster positive values in the children that allow them to have a sense that they are part of a whole and for the emotional well being of the family, everyone needs to do their part.
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Thank you for reading and commenting.
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The images are owned by me and my eldest daughter.
I used Deepl translator.
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