My 11yr old has NO work ethic. I have been trying to come up with solutions to this. Her father and I work hard for what we have (we have our own business) but she doesn’t make the connection between working hard and having rewards. Even though we have explained to her that if you don’t want to work hard, you don’t get fun things- she just doesn’t get it. I am considering implementing a new, real-life, reward/consequences system next year when she gets into middle school. What do you think?
The rewards/consequences for grades are as follows:
** Note: she is a smart kid and she ALWAYS has access to help with anything she may not understand. (there is no reason she should get a D or an F)
Any F’s or D’s - No time for playing because she has to re-do any assignments she did poorly or has to complete assignments she didn’t do, this includes re-doing tests at home and getting good grades on them. If she has good grades in all but the 1 class she got an F or D in she might have time to play after she re-does the work. If she has more than 1 F or D, don’t count on any recrational time. When the grade is brought up, she no longer has to re-do work.
Any C’s no electronics: Tv, video games, computer, phone until the grade is brought up. No exceptions until the grade goes up. If a D or F is brought up to a C, she doesn’t have to re-do any assignments but still doesn’t get electronics.
B’s- gets access to all fun things in the house including electronics when homework is done. Has a regular bed time and has to stick to it.
A’s- gets access to all fun things in the house and gets to go out and do something special on the weekends if all other grades are B’s or above.
ALL A’s: Gets special privledges which include staying up a little later, spending money, and will get 1 day off school after recieving a report card with all A’s to just have fun.
If she has all A’s and 1 C, no electronics and nothing special until the C gets up to a B. If she has all A’s/B’s and an F/D she still has to re-do work and won’t get to do anything fun until she re-does the work and her grade goes up.
The purpose of this is to show her that life sucks if you don’t put effort into it and that if you work hard and go above and beyond, you will get great rewards. Anything worth having is worth working for. If she wants to hang out with friends on the weekend and have fun, she needs to take care of her school responsabilities during the week
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