5 Reasons You Should Bribe your Kids

by Rachel Esco September 06, 2018

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting. As we all know, it's more of a make-it-up-as-you-go type of deal. Naturally, we've all got a different feel for what's right or wrong when it comes to steering our kids in the right direction. While some parents spend painstaking hours lecturing their kids, others (the smart ones) take a more relaxed style: bribery!

Now some of you might be thinking, "I shouldn't have to bribe my kids to get good grades." And while that all sounds quite noble and charming, it's a load of bull shoddy. Sorry but accurate. Most millennial kids, especially the iPhone-addicted ones, don't strive for their best in absence of some reward-- let's be real. So put your delusions of grandeur aside, and do what works; bribe your kids. Here's why you should.

1. It motivates them

When you’re dangling the right bait, your kids will be much more likely to jump higher for school achievement. Whether it’s an iPad or an LOL Doll, find out what your child wants most. You’ll see that when the right motivation is in place, your child will study harder and work longer.

But wait, now you might be thinking, "I don’t want to reward my kids for things they should be doing anyway." In a perfect world, you are right; realistically, however, this idea is flawed. Consider what pushes you to work hard, for instance. Do rewards not play a role in your life? As Psychology Today explains, adults get a paycheck for doing their job. They'll get a tax break for donating to a good cause. If they eat right and take care of their bodies, they'll be rewarded with good health.” So you see, training your kids with bribes actually does prepare them for their future.

In real life, motivation is bought by rewards. Without this incentive, a child may not be willing to reach for the stars just because you say they should— it’s not enough!

2. They get smarter

Children who have incentive to learn get smarter. Since they’re always being propelled toward their next academic goal, they’re consuming knowledge and growing their mind with more willingness. Surely, rewards are essential to accelerating this process.

Dedication is the key to intelligence. Yet if the motivation to consume knowledge doesn't exist, a child won’t feel inspired to grow their mind to the best of their ability. Consider gifted students as an example. Many of them are self-motivated by competition, the reward of beating their peers for grades. Or they're motivated by the possibility of winning special medals or distinctions for high achievement. Essentially, they strive for better grades to earn special titles that prove their superiority over their peers.

But what if your child doesn’t care about these type of honors? Most children are not mature enough to accept personal honor as a reason to work hard, so they may need material rewards instead. For this reason, you need to offer something more tantalizing: toys, electronics, products— whatever makes them tick!

3. You gain more authority

A parent who gives bribes has authority over their children. Don’t agree? Well think about what power really means. According to the dictionary, power is

“the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.” How do parents have power?

Simply put, parents influence their children’s behaviour through rewards. Alternatively, a parent can also influence their children's behaviour through being a scary dictator who only intimidates and punishes, but never rewards. Unfortunately, your child is then more likely to build resentment and possibly down the line, rebel against you! Consequently, the most peaceful and fair course of action is to solidify your authority by bribing your children.

4. Their marks will increase

What happens when kids reach higher goals? They score higher too! As they work toward every milestone with a prize in sight, they’ll persevere to ensure their grades rise.

According to Canadianfamily.ca, one parent admitted to paying their child $10 for every A and $5 for every B. Instead of an allowance, the child must perform well in school to earn spending money. The parent also revealed, “In my house, report cards are usually greeted with dread. But it’s not my kids who feel clammy at the sight of the brown envelopes—it’s me.”

By making your kids the ones who get nervous about their grades, they'll get smarter. As a result, bribes help encourage good report cards and lessens the stress on you.

5. Saves your sanity

Stressing over your kid’s grades is exhausting. As if life weren’t already crazy enough, we’re condemning ourselves to a whole new level of anxiety— and over something you can’t fully control. Or can you?

Bribe your kids! Save your sanity and put the dread of grades on your kids instead of yourself. You’ll quickly see that when a reward is in their reach, they’ll be the ones bending backwards to perform well in school. Let them ride the anxiety roller coaster— not you! And perhaps, take a vacation while you’re at it. You deserve it!

Bottom line, most children aren’t mature enough to get good grades because it’s “the right thing to do”. Their minds are just not yet sophisticated enough to think this way. Kids usually don't foresee how their performance in school impacts their futures. So like all goals in life worth chasing, present then with a bargain that's worthy (in the eyes of a child).