Lesson 9: Where is the Potent stuff?

It's important to choose rewards that are truly motivating for your child. For young boys, items like Legos, coins, or tokens that accumulate can be particularly effective. Girls might respond similarly; it all depends on what resonates with your child and what fits your budget. For instance, $10 worth of dimes translates to 100 instances of reinforcement, or 150 occurrences if you maintain the 2:1 praise-to-reward ratio we discussed.

Consider incorporating non-monetary rewards as well, such as special outings with dad at the river or a walk around downtown with mom. These experiences can be just as rewarding and meaningful.

One critical rule: avoid taking away earned rewards as a form of punishment. Trust me—this can disrupt the entire system and lead to confusion. Instead, opt to remove something else or send them to their room if needed. If you have a variety of rewards available, make sure not to allow your child to switch their chosen reward simply because they don’t like a particular sticker or trinket. This can create a confusing “if/then” connection that you’ll likely regret later on.