Is Bribing Your Child Okay?

Children can unavoidably misbehave, thus, parents need to use strategies to correct the mischief. Some parents use bribes and others use rewards, so what is the difference?

Kids earn rewards for good behavior and these are mostly surprises, however, bribes are used to end or prevent misconduct. Alpha Mom gives five differences of rewards and bribes, "Rewards are a good parenting tool, bribes are not."

Bribes are offered to prevent or stop misbehavior, so children get to grab the chance to influence what parents bribe them with. It is important to understand that bribery can sometimes give our children power to give them what they want for something they are expected to do, like behave.

Once children have experiences of being bribed, they make actions that show some probable acts of naughtiness so parents would offer them a bribe. Or sometimes they make negotiations purely to their favor like, "I don't want a candy bar for being quiet, I want that toy."

Empowering Parents cites, "Bribery can become an ongoing pattern that ultimately teaches your child to act out to get what he wants." Bribing your child is not okay, once you start the habit, it might be hard to break. The child will expect that you will make an offer for better behavior so the child intentionally starts misbehaving.

Parenting expert Jim Fay tells WebMD, "Bribes fail to teach kids respect and responsibility." Children are expected to behave properly and obey their parents. When parents bribe kids, they behave for the incorrect motives. They aim for the offer instead of the responsibility to act properly.

Is bribing your child okay? No. Work on ways to stop the bribery. Deal with the mischievousness without offering any bribe. Help your youngster understand that it is expected of any child to behave appropriately with or without rewards. Explain that doing the right thing does not count if they are done for the wrong reasons.