6 Long Term Benefits Of Positive Reinforcement For Children
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Positive reinforcement for a child is included as a part of the parenting strategy that focuses on good aspects of a child’s behavior (1). As a parent, you may sometimes feel that you have often lost your calm on your child for their undesirable behaviors, which could lead to unfavorable outcomes. In that case, you may try the positive reinforcement method to help improve your child’s behavior and favor their overall development. Browse through this post to understand the advantages and ways to introduce positive reinforcement to your child to help bring a desirable transformation in them.
What Is Positive Reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement is a parenting technique that uses reward and recognition to teach the child to act or behave in a desirable way (2). In this technique, rather than shouting, abusing, threatening, punishing, shaming, humiliating, or making the child feel guilty, the parent or caregiver needs to recognize and reward the child’s good behavior.
How Does Positive Reinforcement For Children Work?
There is a positive and negative approach for every behavior and a positive and negative consequence. If you react negatively to your child’s bad behavior, your child’s main objective will be to avoid the punishment. For that, they will make the minimal effort that can help them escape your wrath. Hence, they will neither have the interest nor the will to act the way you want them to.
On the other hand, when you use positive reinforcement with your child, you ask them to correct their bad behavior and recognize and reward their efforts, motivating them to continue doing good (3).
How To Show Positive Reinforcement Towards A Child?
There are many ways to show positive reinforcement towards your child. You do not always have to act in a certain way or say a certain thing. Often, a gesture or a sign is enough to show your child what you mean. Here are a few examples of positive reinforcement that you can try (3):
- Pat your child on the back.
- Give a thumbs-up sign.
- Show your approval to your child with a smile or a nod.
- Clap or cheer for your child.
- Hug your child often.
- Give them a high five and cheer for them.
- Let your child know that you loved their actions.
- Make sure you tell others about instances that make you feel proud of your child. Ideally, do it in front of your child so that they too know that you are proud of them.
- Use specific phrases that tell your child you appreciate what they did. For instance, using phrases like ‘I love the way…’ ‘I am proud that…’ ‘I am so happy that …’, ‘It is wonderful that….’, will tell them in very clear words you love their behavior.
How Does Positive Reinforcement Benefit Your Child?
Positive reinforcement for children will be beneficial in the following ways (3) (4):
1. Look for the positive things that your child does and highlight those more. Saying things like ‘I am proud of how you helped the old man’ or ‘I am happy your room is tidy’ will encourage your child to continue their good behavior.
2. Praising them often for their efforts with words and gestures like kisses and hugs make them feel loved and cared for. Sometimes you can give your child a reward like their favorite toy to show how much you appreciate them.
3. Acknowledging your child’s efforts with friends and family whenever they display socially appropriate behavior boosts their self-confidence and self-esteem.
4. Each time you use positive reinforcement, your child will want to do better and try harder than before to make you feel happy. It will help strengthen your and your child’s bond and enhance their overall personality over time.
5. Acknowledging your child’s good behavior and saying, ‘you are a good boy/girl’ makes them understand what socially acceptable behavior is and how they should practice it to fit in the social environment.
6. When a child continues to behave in a socially acceptable manner, they get appreciated even outside the home like in school, which further motivates them to direct their efforts to get better and better.
Positive reinforcement for children will not only make your little one feel better and increase their confidence, but it will also let you feel satisfied as a parent. It doesn’t have to be a big compliment, but little gestures like a pat on the back, hug, high-five, thumbs-up, cheering them on, and so on can suffice. So, instead of condemning your child for their negative behavior, appreciate and acknowledge their good behavior and positive efforts. You will notice a significant improvement in your child’s attitude if you behave positively toward them rather than berating or punishing them.
References
- Positive Reinforcement.
https://ceed.umn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Positive-Reinforcement.pdf - Understanding Positive Reinforcement and Replacement Behaviors Within the Classroom.
http://www.council-for-learning-disabilities.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Positive-Reinforcement-Infosheet.pdf - Discipline-Strategies-for-Children.
https://gba.edu.kw/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Discipline-Strategies-for-Children.pdf - How to Use Positive Reinforcement for Children.
https://www.newkidscenter.org/Positive-Reinforcement-for-Children.html
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