Single Parent Travels: Behavior Rewards

by Michele Thorne | More from this Blogger

I understand the idea that you shouldn't bribe your children, and in some cases I can see the reasoning behind it. I do however believe in giving children rewards for certain things, and in this case, it was rewards for good behavior on our trip.

One thing I did was go to Wal-mart and the dollar store and bought some small, inexpensive toys and treats to bring with both for in the plane and during our stay. I had enough that he could have had one toy and one special treat every day if that was the reward he chose. When things were getting rough, like one night he wasn't able to sleep and was getting cranky the next day, I would mention the special things at the end of the day and he would correct his behavior.

Something else that helped at the beginning of our trip and was a wonderful reward in his eyes was the pool. We stayed at a hotel for the first 4 days. The promise of a nice long time in the pool at the end of the day was always a sure thing to get him to correct any negative behavior. It also helped him to relax at the end of the day, because no matter how much we enjoyed spending time with Tiff, it is still stressful and upsetting to see her in the pain that she is going through. It also gave him something to talk to her about the next day, which was good for the both of them.

Jonathan is also CRAZY for what he calls "squishy toys." In Wal-mart they are call "life like." They are rubber and filled with tiny plastic beads, which makes them squishy. They come in all shapes and sizes, and he wants to collect them all. Well, in the gift shop of the hospital, they had some that he hasn't seen anywhere else before, and being that I didn't know if or when we would be able to come back, I definitely believed it was ok to use these as rewards for his good behavior. Plus we walked past the gift shop several times every day, and this helped as a reminder that he needed to behave in order to go in and pick out his next one.

You can also see the following articles for more opinions on rewards and bribing. Should I Bribe My Son to Behave Week Three: 8 Weeks To A Well-behaved Child To Bribe or Not to Bribe

Learn more about Michele Thorne

Michele Thorne is an all purpose person. She is a full time single mom (her son's father is not involved in his life in any way, shape, or form) caring for her son Jonathan.

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