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Rethinking Rewards: Healthy Tips for Meeting Goals
Rewards are a common tool parents use to motivate and encourage their children to perform certain activities such as cleaning the house or getting good grades in school. When children accomplish these goals, a reward is used to say “You did a great job.” Therefore, rewards are considered desirable and stimulating.
Before a reward can be given, a goal needs to be set. Setting positive goals such as getting good grades in school or helping out around the house encourages our children to really participate and grow in both the school setting and in the family home. Other types of positive, personal growth goals could be to encourage healthy behavior. Healthy behavior includes activities such as taking a walk three times a week or healthy food goals such as eating a certain number of fruits and vegetables daily.
Once we set positive goals with our children, it is also important to set positive rewards:
- Positive rewards should encourage the child to continue to grow and strive for success.
- Positive rewards should focus on activities that the children like to do or items that they can use .
- Using food or sweets as rewards can actually increase the desire to eat the sweets and result in an unhealthy lifestyle. When we turn sweets, candy, or food into a reward-system, we make these foods seem extra desirable.
- On the contrary, when we start to treat food, candy, and sweets as just another way to fuel the body, we can encourage other healthy options as rewards. Sweets and food as rewards can only contribute to poor eating habits, poor health, and increased risk of obesity.
Some examples of healthy reward for children ages 3-9:
- Activity with parent or family such as going to the park
- Creative activity using pens, crayons, markers, or stickers
- Playing an age appropriate game with a family member
Some examples of healthy rewards for children ages 9-13:
- Inviting a friend over to play
- Activity with family or friends such as bowling or roller-blading
- Watching a movie or playing a video game
Some examples of healthy rewards for children ages 13-18:
- Choosing music, clothes, or accessories to buy
- Going to a special place with friends such as a concert or sporting event
- Getting materials to decorate their rooms
Remember: Anything can be used as a reward. Find out what your children really like to do and use that as their rewards. Children ultimately want their parent’s attention and praise, so when your child does something right or something that you really appreciate, give him/her verbal admiration. The most powerful reward we can give is our love and our praise.
Test Your Knowledge:
- An example of a healthy reward is:
- Candy
- Activity with family
- Soda
Answer: b
- Positive goal setting includes which of the following?
- Getting good grades in school
- Helping out around the house
- All of the above
Answer: c
Sarah Koszyk, MA, RD, is a speaker, educator, and coach in the private practice setting in San Francisco, CA. She specializes in both pediatric and adult weight management by providing customized meal plans the entire family can live with. For more information, please visit her at www.mvnutrition.com.
