Last week while I was answering the daily poll over at Swag Bucks to earn a free Swag Buck, I was intrigued by the poll of the day and that is what inspired this post. The question was “Should kids be paid for good grades?” and I was quite surprised with the results from the poll.
When I was in school, I pretty much always made good grades. To reward me, my parents would offer me money for my grades when I got each report card. If I remember correctly, it was $5 for every A, $2.50 for a B, I got nothing for a C, and for D’s and F’s they would start subtracting. I loved getting my report card because not only did I receive high praises from my parents, I always had a nice payday.
I’ve started implementing this with my daughter who is in 2nd grade and once the boys are in school, I will do this with them as well.
But apparently there are 34% of parents out there that think there is enough reward in their own achievement and while I don’t necessarily disagree with this, I think as parents we should be rewarding our children for good grades. I’m not saying we all need to start handing out money, but some type of reward will only encourage them more and hopefully instill a good work ethic.
What do you do when your children make good grades?
Penelope says
Won’t be doing this. Parents each will do what works best for them, but I want to raise my kids to do the right things and work hard just because, and not only if there is an incentive, kwim?
Crystal says
I got good grades because I wanted to get good grades; the cash was just an added bonus.
I liken it to working as an adult. You do a good job, you get a raise. I just want them to know how much I appreciate their hard work.
Jen-Eighty MPH Mom says
We always pay our kids for good report cards, my children are 14 and 21. My son once told me that he would be getting the same grades either way. To us, it’s a simple “job well done” by giving them a little cash. I mean many parents punish for bad grades, so why shouldn’t good grades be praised? I think their own satisfaction with their grades makes them very happy, but we are really proud too.
Lisa says
I don’t see anything wrong with it. Yes I hop my kids continue to learn for the love of learning but honestly sometimes you get subjects you don’t like or crappy teachers. such is life. paying a child for good grades is, in a way, just preparing them for life. our boys don’t get actual grades yet so i haven’t paid them in a straight dollar for letter rate but they always get some sort of treat for a good report care of exceeds expectations. sometimes its a trip to chuck e cheese or a movie. sometimes its a new dvd. depends on our schedule and our budget.
Sharon Williams says
I saw the same SB poll and thought it was interesting how varied the opinions were. I have 2 kids in school. I think it’s an awesome thing to reward them for their good grades! I even started a list of current companies who will reward them for me! :-)We have 2 local banks who give $1 for every A in a savings account. Here’s the link if you’re interested! http://www.reallifedeals.com/?category_name=honor-roll-rewards
Kelly says
I was on the exact same reward system you were – down to owing my parents for bad grades. Fortunately that didn’t happen (that I can remember) and it definitely encouraged me to try even harder to succeed and get good grades!
Louise says
I was paid by my grandparents and I was like you. I did it because I wanted to get good grades not because I was getting money for it. I’m not sure what we’ll be doing. But we are giving our kids an allowence already
Crystal F says
I do reward my girls for their good grades. My girls like to do well in school because they like the praise from their teachers and the awards they get at school. They like to make them happy. My youngest is only in the first grade so she gets a a set amount. My oldest is in 5th and gets actual grades so she gets a little more. Last year she got a cell phone for making straight A’s all year long. This year she has struggled a little in science and math. Her progress report showed a C in science. We told her if she can get that grade up and continue to get straight A’s this year too that we will get her an ipod touch. She’s woring harder to get that grade up. lol
I don’t see a problem with it. Like the other’s said, they get the grades any way.
Katie says
I got $2 for an A, $1 for a B and I had to pay in if I got anything below that. Now, $2 is NOT enough to make me want to purposely get an A. I got good grades because I wanted to. I might consider doing something like what my parents did.
Virginia from That Bald Chick says
I go back and forth on this one. I was not paid for good grades, and never felt cheated though I knew my friends got paid. My folks simply didn’t have it. I think that children should be rewarded for excelling, but I am not certain YET how. My kids are 2 and 3, so I have about a year to figure it out.
Little BGCG says
Actually I think the money thing is a great idea, and your prices sound about right. It further encourages them to do well and when you really think about it one day they will be getting paid according to the grades they had in school. The further you go in school the more money you make later in life. Why not teach them that early?
Cathy says
My kids are 4 and 2 so they don’t have grades yet. My parents didn’t pay me for good grades when I was growing up. I’m not sure what I’ll do with my own kids. Something to think about.
Lorie Shewbridge says
I was one who never put the emphasis on grades because my boys were not good test takers. I always paid more attention to the comments that the teachers wrote about the boys. As long as they were trying their best and doing all their homework, and not disrupting the class, that was OK with me.
Lora says
I believe rewarding a child with cash is acceptable. A lot of parents offer cash rewards for chores completed and for teeth that are lost. However, the “type” of reward needs to be agreed upon by both parents and clearly understood by the child. The parents need to insteel in the child that he/she should get good grades, because the child wants to better their educatiion and that the cash reward is simply a bonus.
A good education will reward itself via opening future college doors, but to a child (especially an elementary school child) they may lose focus of that and need an immediate tangible encouraging reward. Something that will allow them to feel proud of themselves for and to be a physcial reminder to contiune good behavior.
By permitting cash to be a reward also allows the parents the opportunity to teach the child about developing good money management skills and how to have responsible spending/saving habits.
Avril says
My parents just punished me for anything worse than a B, because I wasn’t trying hard enough. Money was for allowance or birthdays or so on.