My last post about generational changes in discipline got me thinking about how to motivate your little dudes. Do little dudes perform better with threats or encouragement, the carrot or the stick? Or even a bribe. Yes, that’s right, I said bribe.
There’s a radio talk show psychologist named Joy Brown, who talks often that she believes there’s absolutely nothing wrong with bribing a child to do something. Which is good for me as it gives me some sort of flimsy validation for something I’ve been doing for years.
I see the look of pity in your eyes. Really I do. I’m special that way.
Yes, both my wife, known to three as She Who Is A Softer Touch So Let’s Ask Her, and I have been known to offer monetary encouragement to the little dudes for them to do things we want, but they don’t. For instance, the little dudes have been begging for a home game system since they were old enough to covet stuff they saw on commercials. We’ve always said no. Then Nintendo came out with the Wii, a system in which you had to move around instead of sit around. So we told the little dudes that if they signed up for swim team and dive team at the local swimming pool for the summer and worked hard and didn’t complain (too much [we are somewhat realistic and knew they were going to gripe some]) we would buy the Wii.
See, we believe that the little dudes need to do something athletic most seasons. We might let them take a couple of seasons off, but they need to be doing something other than going to P.E. Swim and dive is hard work, even though it can also be fun. They took the bait and the Wii. They did work hard. They did have fun and they did get the Wii. They then proceeded to use birthday money to buy games in which they didn’t have to actually move anything but thumbs. We got slightly outfoxed, but the point remains valid.
Sometimes I think it is more rewarding to offer a carrot instead of a stick. Let them see that they can earn things by working hard. Sounds a little like adult life that way. Although I’m not sure anyone is lining up to give me money to join a swim team or dive team. Unfortunately.
– Richard
Tags: A Dude's Guide to Kids, A Dude's Guide to Life, Adult Life, better, Birthday Money, Bribe, Carrot, Commercials, Discipline, Dive Team, dollar, dude, Dude's, Encouragement, Fun, Game System, games, Generational Changes, Home Game, Joy Brown, men, money, Nintendo, old, Psychologist, Radio Talk Show, Stuff, summer, swim, Swim Team, swimming, Swimming Pool, Validation, wife, Wii
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