Parenting- money for good grades?

[Georgygirl]

I didn't get paid for my grades, but my two brothers did. I was a straight A student though, and they weren't. It annoyed me a bit, but I learned a valuable lesson early on. Life isn't always fair. I like the idea of rewarding the steps to a good grade an not necessarily a good grade. I definitely think it would help develop good habits.

 

[crazedACD]

I think celebrating is a bit better than handing out cash...a nice dinner, or a new toy or something that they've been wanting. I never got paid for my grades, especially didn't get much more than a pat on the back through high school. There was removal of privileges though..I think it taught me well, to take responsibility for my work.

I will say, that I wish there were vocational programs in most schools. Just to help those kids that don't end up in college...if it was normal, at least some HVAC or culinary classes will get them a bit higher wage right out of high school. I was able to go to an agricultural high school for two years, believe me there is nothing more motivating than being able to bring your dog on the bus for grooming class or have riding lessons as a class . Well, that goes for anything anyone is interested in. The kid into cars isn't going to miss many days and be way more interested when he gets to tinker with an engine or something.

 

[houlahoops]

We never did money, but we certainly had an incentive. During high school I was only allowed to play sports if I pulled a 4.0. It worked, mostly because my lack of motivation was what had been keeping my grades down.

 

[Red.Apricot]

My parents sorta did. Basically they wanted to give us allowance, but it was higher if we were getting better grades. My sister and I were pretty much equally academically inclined, though, so it didn't result in unfairness in our household.

 

[Taqroy]

I've never been paid for good grades. It was expected that we get good grades (until my little brother hit school all A's were expected). It wouldn't have been remotely fair to pay for grades - my sister had all A's because she worked her butt off, I had mostly A's because I'm a pro at operating under the radar, and my brother had terrible grades because he hated school. My parents tried a ton of stuff to motivate him - money, they offered to buy him a gun, they threatened to keep him from wrestling, etc. Nothing worked. Looking back on it, I think if someone had sat down with him every single night and gone over his homework with him, he would have done so much better. Just like if someone had bribed me with one-on-one time with either parent I would have been more motivated.

Until my sister and I moved out my parents didn't really have money to bribe/pay us with anyway. It was expected that we do chores, help around the house, get good grades, do sports (if we wanted to), and get a job to pay for our own stuff because that's what you do in a family. My sister and I both started working around 13 and worked all the way through high school. I really hope that I'll do it different with my kids - I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with my parents' tactics but they relied pretty heavily on emotional manipulation to get what they wanted. It was unintentional but it's left some pretty lasting marks on the way we all behave.

 

[smkie]

I don't think anyone is going to bust their behind to get a good grade for 20 dollars. It's a nice bonus of they do. I don't think it hurts anything.