In an effort to save my hair from being pulled out and inspire our kids to be more positive, encouraging and kind this past summer, we set up a reward system. We wanted to see if we could encourage them to kindness through positive reinforcement.
Kindness Currency
I went to the bank and traded in my twenty dollar bill for twenty dollars worth of nickels. Every time I caught one of the kids being considerate, helpful or affirming I gave them a nickel.
I wasn’t sure it would work, but you guys, THEY TOTALLY TOOK THE BAIT and I bet your kids will too!
It’s surprising how a few cents can motivate children. The dynamic and mood in our home shifted just by implementing this one positive reinforcement system this summer, I honestly could not believe it. I want the same for you if this has been a struggle in your home as well.
If our kids are any indication, some of the stuff your kids will come up with when you begin practicing this form of positive reinforcement will be sweet and some will be hilarious. You’ll want to write some of it down so it’s not lost forever.
Here’s a little sample of what my kids said:
- “You’re the BEST brother in the whoooooole wiiiiiiide world!”
- “Mom, you are so nice. Thanks for getting us food every day. Can I help you this morning?”
- “You make my heart explode!”
- “Even if your face was smashed in, you’d still be pretty!” One of the boys obviously came up with this gem.
- “Here, let me put some toothpaste on your toothbrush for you.”
You’ll see the wheels in their brain turning trying to come up with something nice to do or say. And this is exactly what we want because this type of exercise can rewire their brains in a positive and profound way.
We want our children to default to kind, positive, and helpful attitudes and actions. We want them to be glass half full kind of people instead of focusing on negativity and the frustrations around them.
Positive Reinforcement Made Easy
I put together these Kindness Currency Tags so you can get started right away. There are 4 tags per sheet of paper. All you’ll have to do is run to the bank and trade in some cash for coins and grab a few jars.
Tips for the Kindness Currency Challenge
- Nickels are the perfect reward for our children but feel free to adjust the value of the coins you reinforce your kids’ behaviors with. If you have preschool aged children, pennies might be enough motivation and if your kids are a little older you may need to sweeten the deal. There is not a hard, fast rule — just figure what the most effective amount is and run with it.
- If you don’t want to incentivize with money, try using Jelly Beans or other sweet treats.
- Consider adding a prize for the child who earns the most coins over a specific period of time. For us, we decided to reward the child with the most coins at the end of summer with a movie date with mom or dad. Since going to a theater is not something we typically do, this was enough incentive for them. Plus they like a little competition!
- Have a different size/shaped jar for each child. We started with all three kids having identical jars but changed them out when they began quarreling over who had the most nickels. There were even a few accusations about their siblings padding profits 🙂
Virtual high five, friends, because your kids are about to get a whole lot more supportive, thoughtful, helpful and constructive!
TAKE ACTION: Print out the Kindness Currency Tags, run to the bank and begin reaping the powerful benefits of positive reinforcement in your home!
*If you like this Kindness Currency idea, Spread the LUV and share it with your friends on Facebook or wherever you hang out online! <3