Jun12

Should I Reward My Children for Their Grades?

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And just like that, summer is coming to put an end to another school year. Nine months of getting up early, learning, exams, grades, friendship, and laughter. But there is a question in the back of every parent’s mind…

Should I give my child a gift for their grades?

Remember that our children are in full training mode. They are going to school each day to nurture academic knowledge and values to become competent people. That is why rewarding your child with a physical gift for their good grades could make values as important as effort, personal satisfaction, or perseverance become associated with consumerism and materialism.

It is important to focus on the process and give less importance to the results. Compare the three or four evaluations from the school year and evaluate how they have progressed with each one. Look closely at the effort they have given to achieve these results.

Ask them: how much have you worked during the year? Have you done your best?
Analyze the difficulties that have come up during the year.
Look for solutions to start the next school year off on the right foot.
Focus on attitude evaluations as well as the academic grades. It is crucial to pay attention to how the teachers value their involvement in their subject, their wellbeing in class, and companionship.
Utilize the power of the spoken word: “I am so proud of you.” “I know how hard you have worked.” “I knew you could do it.” It may also be a good idea to celebrate together with a family activity.
Replace punishment for responsibility based on their performance. When final grades are questionable or lower than expected, show them that there are consequences. Don’t talk about punishments, but rather a new summer plan. Maybe less time for fun activities and more time studying knowing that passing the school year, or starting the year in good shape, depends on it.

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Casey Aubin

BS Communicative Disorders & BA Spanish from the University of Rhode Island.
Master’s in International Education from the Universidad de Alcalá– Instituto Franklin.
She has worked as a teacher in three different countries and is now a Translator on the Content Creation Team at Smartick and helps to adapt content for blog posts.
As a native Rhode Islander she loves any activity on the water and when she’s not working you can find her traveling, kickboxing, or trying out a new recipe.