Rewarding Children with Food: Pros and Cons

If you want to teach a child a lesson, a reward is a terrific motivator. Some teachers and parents use food as rewards because it is a basic need and concept. I do not believe in rewarding children with food or motivating a child with food. I am by no means a "health nut". My thoughts on the matter stem from observing children and pets. That is correct, I said pets like animals.

A pro of rewarding a child with food is it is instantaneous. The child is given a tasty treat as a reward for doing a given task. The reward would either be shown to the child when the child is told what to do and how, or as soon as the child does a task correctly. Rewards work best when the child knows he or she is getting a treat if a task is completed.

The biggest negative to giving a child a treat for a reward is how others perceive it. Treats are usually a reward to make animals do what people want. If it works for you and your child, then why not?

A possible side affect of giving a sweet treat to a child, especially a child with disabilities, is the child may get a sugar rush. Giving a sweet treat is not always a good idea if the child cannot handle large amounts of sugar. Giving a child healthy food for a reward may not motivate the child. The child has to want the reward to do what he or she is told.

The pro of giving food as a reward it can be something the child likes that he or she does not get often. Getting something that you usually are not allowed is a great motivator for children. Motivation is the key to a reward working.

Food is something I do not use as a reward because when using something as a reward, you usually take it out of everyday use. For example, if you use bubbles as a reward, you would not blow bubbles every time your child wanted you to play bubbles with them. Some children can misconstrue this idea from the specific reward, to a more generalization. If food is used as a reward, the child may think it will be taken away from him or her. They may not realize they are getting chocolate, so they will still get all of their other favorites and all types of other food to eat through out the day. Some children may feel they will not get fed if they do not behave adequately.

Sometimes, rewards only work temporarily. When you see that the child getting the reward is capable of doing what is being asked and you stop giving the reward, the child may no longer want to do what he or she is supposed to do. The reward becomes a bribe and the child expects it. The child should be able to do what is expected of them without expecting a treat. Not all rewards are bad, they are only bad when they have to be continuously given for a desired result.