Earlier this year,my oldest daughter got braces   on her teeth,and let's just say she did not go quietly into that dentist's chair. Fear and hate pretty much describe the days leading up to her first appointment. So when she finally walked out with shiny teeth,a sore mouth and a broken spirit, I told her I was proud of her and took her to Ben & Jerry's for an ice cream reward. Two weeks later, we returned to the scene of  the  crime.The  dentist  spent  about 45 seconds checking her teeth before sending her on her merry way. Before I could start the car, she was placing her ice cream order. She was shocked when I told her that she wasn't going to get a reward every time we got her teeth checked. Apparently,she's not alone. According to some parenting experts, kids are easily addicted to a benefitproducing system of parental rewards and bribes --not all ice creams, candies and cool toys.Some parents are offering their children novel prizes just to let them sit down and behave in a restaurant--or sleep in their own beds--or score a goal in the next soccer game. While the experts agree that occasional awards are okay,the danger lies in the system's overuse.Kids quickly gain a sense of entitlement ,where they come to expect a big reward for every good thing that they do, no matter how small.To keep things in check,experts say parents should reduce the number of rewards they offer, make sure rewards match the behavior and explain the real benefits of behaving. What would be the BEST title for the passage?
Do Parents Know How to Help Their Children Behave? Is Your Child Afraid to Visit A Dentist? Are Parents Rewarding Their Children Too Much? Does Your Child Show Interest in Rewards?