When I first began homeschooling I learned the value of using “Intrinsic” rewards. Bribing children with items such as candy, cookies, and toys is unhealthy, expensive, and an utter failure. By teaching children the meaning of things such as goal setting, achievements, and responsibility, we can promote “Intrinsic” or “Internal” rewards. When little children make progress in areas, it is typical to reward them with a sticker or plenty of verbal praise. This is a moderate approach and much more desirable then continuously buying children gifts or rewarding them with money every time they make a small achievement.
It may not seem noticeable at first, but without teaching children the importance of feeling proud of their accomplishments, and consistently teaching them that rewards are equivalent to food, money, and toys,you are encouraging materialism and your results will ultimately backfire. Children, will then grow up with a sense of “false materialism” and will fail to achieve the sense of satisfaction that comes from reaching goals. Using these rewards is ok in moderation, but be careful not to overindulge your child in the homeschooling setting. If you do, you will quickly learn that with 4-6 subjects a day and spending countless hours with your child, your child will have more situations to “earn” rewards then you’ll have cash to fund them!
One of the most effective ways to “reward” your child for their accomplishments is to give them certificates. A certificate can be framed and hung with honor. It can be proudly displayed, and at the same time fosters and nurtures a child’s ability to reach their goals and succeed, without creating a “materialistic” based system.
You can use certificates for rewarding good behavior, spelling achievements, math tests, and for passing from grade to grade. Although, personally, I would reward graduation with something grand, like a special dinner, etc. so mind you, I am not saying that all materialistic rewards are necessarily bad, I am just saying that you should be careful not to over use them. Also, be careful not to fall into the trap of “bribing” your child into good behavior.
Here are some wonderful certificates and awards that you can print off of the web for rewarding your child.
http://www.geocities.com/homeschoolforms/page5.html
Here are some printable stickers that you can create to use with your children as well.
http://www.kidprintables.com/stickers/index.shtml