5 Non-monetary rewards for good grades

Food

Health experts have cautioned parents to avoid using food to reward kids for every good thing they do. But reserving food rewards for one special effort, such as earning good grades, can be a positive reinforcement for your kids. Don't just give Junior a candy bar when he brings home an excellent report card. Instead, make the reward more meaningful and significant:

• Let him choose what to have for dinner one night.
• Take him to his favorite restaurant.
• Hit the grocery store together and let him pick out his favorite goodies.

Getting your family together for dinner >>

Friends

Kids love celebrating with their friends, so reward your child with some special friend time for her accomplishments:

• Let her invite a friend or two (or more) over for a sleepover.
• Let her pick one friend to take along when you go shopping, to the movies, bowling, etc.
• Let her talk/text on the phone or chat on the Internet a little longer than you usually allow.

How to plan the perfect sleepover >>

Time

Kids are always so confined by rules at school and home. Relax those constraints and give your kid a little dose of freedom:

• Let him stay up an hour past his regular bedtime.
• Give him an extra hour of TV, computer or video game time.
• Give him a break from his regular chores to hang out doing whatever he wants.

Why your kids need some unstructured time >>

You

There's nothing better you can give your kids than your own time. Turn off the phone, computer and all other distractions and reward your child with your undivided attention (something you may do less often than you realize!):

• Let your child select the activity -- board game, bike ride, shopping, movies.
• Let your child pick the destination of the next family outing.
• If you have more than one child, plan an activity that doesn't include the siblings for a change.

Tips for making yourself more available to your kids >>

Your child's favorite things

The key to the perfect reward is knowing what your child really likes. If she likes fashion, take her shopping. If he loves cars, let him test-drive some at a nearby dealership. Go to a salon or a sporting event together. And offer praise. Children love to please their parents, so make sure they know how proud you are. The more personal the reward, the more appreciated it will be.

Related articles:

• How to deal with bad grades
• 10 Steps to school year success
• Rewarding report cards