Should Parents Pay Children to Make Better Grades in School?

            Not all children have intrinsic motivation to learn and do well in school. Those who lack the motivation are sometimes given cash rewards by their parents for making better grades in school. Financial incentives can be a good motivator, but using them is controversial. There are pros and cons to doing so.

            Extrinsic motivation for good grades (cash rewards) is a type of incentive or motivator that children can appreciate and understand because it is tangible. Children are able to use earned cash to purchase whatever they want. Parents favoring financial incentives feel that such rewards teach children the value of hard work and achievement.

            There are those who believe that extrinsic motivators, such as cash incentives, can have a negative impact on some children. Not all children learn the same way or at the same speed or level. Those who are against financial incentives for good grades feel that giving or withholding money as coercion for better school performance can put unnecessary pressure on slower children. It can also cause resentment among students and siblings.

            Learn more about the pros and cons of paying children for good grades by reading my Suite 101 article, “Students' Grades: Paying Children to Make Better Grades in School” at http://melissa-ridenour.suite101.com/students-grades-paying-children-to-make-better-grades-in-school-a225089.

            Also of related interest is an article posted on another blog. The post is called, “10 Signs Your Child Needs a Better Tutor than You”. It can be accessed at

http://www.nannypro.com/blog/10-signs-your-child-needs-a-better-tutor-than-you/ .

*Picture credit: Svilen Milev