Do You Buy Grading Gifts for your Children?

[KathyT]

As kids we never got grading gifts, had never even heard of the concept before we moved here.

We do buy our dks grading gifts - usually something they have been wanting, just to acknowledge a job well done and the beginning of a well deserved break.

This year, after the time dd has had in grade 4, I think I deserve a grading gift!!!!!!!!

[Cathy]

I don't buy gifts per se, but we do something to celebrate the end of the year and all the hard work. Buying ice cream from the ice cream man on the last day of school is a long-standing tradition. It cracks me up that they still get excited about it.

[Diane]

As children we never got grading gifts from our parents either... getting good grades was something that was "expected" and if you didn't meet those expectations... you were usually punished for it. :( LOL

When our kids were growing up they were always rewarded for doing well... They always seemed to have a certain something that they wanted, and they knew that if they got good grades they could count on getting it. It gave them just that little extra incentive to do well... even though I'm sure they would have worked just as hard if they weren't getting anything. ?( When the kids all started getting jobs and earning their own money... those little rewards didn't mean as much to them because they could go buy whatever they wanted by themselves, but they still did well... ?? I don't think that there is anything wrong with rewarding them though... :)

Diane... :wave:

[kat]

I never got grading gifts as a child and we don't give them either. They are expected to study hard and do well. For oldest it was hard, B's and C's were his "well". Youngest makes A's most of the time and it does seem to be much easier for him. They were expected to be respectful in class, learn, study and apply.

MIL does give a little monetary reward for honor roll and even more for straight A's, but it's a small amount of money and is just an acknowledgement of their efforts.

[RCT]

no grad gifts here either.....but we do go out for ice cream....;)

[AnnW]

We don't pay for grades, cause then if you reward A's do you punish for a B????? My kids' scholastic attempts are too different to even try that. We do reward hard work for the year. DD got a baby pool and ds got a boom box this year.

[MaryL]

Nope. We simply expect them to do their best in school. We encourage and praise good grades....luckily, so far we haven't had to deal with anything below a "B". Phew! Same thing as my dks are not given an allowance based on the jobs they do in our home. They are expected to do some chores, no choice there!. We give $3 a week so that they learn to manage (and save) some money.

[Lynda-WA]

As kids, my parents would take us out to eat. It was a reward for effort not for the actual grades. They made a point of reminding us that the C's my brother got took more work for him then the A's my sister and I nearly always brought home.

So far we haven't even done that for our 2. Like with Ann, DS (4th) finds school easy and gets outstanding grades. DD (K) will have to work harder. This year we'll probably start the graduation celebration meal like I had as a kid.

[Diane]

Originally posted by Lynda-WA
As kids, my parents would take us out to eat. It was a reward for effort not for the actual grades. They made a point of reminding us that the C's my brother got took more work for him then the A's my sister and I nearly always brought home.

So far we haven't even done that for our 2. Like with Ann, DS (4th) finds school easy and gets outstanding grades. DD (K) will have to work harder. This year we'll probably start the graduation celebration meal like I had as a kid.

We never actually ever gave out rewards for getting A's or B's... just as long as we knew that they were all doing the best that they could. Good grades were always easy for my oldest and youngest dd's to get... but my middle dd struggled just to get a C... 8o and we knew that she had worked darn hard to get those C's, and that was a great accomplishment for her... and we always tried to make a big deal about it so that it would give her an incentive to continue to work hard... and maybe do even better. :) She's now in college and getting straight A's in everything... :yippee: I feel for those kids who have to work so hard and constantly struggle for "okay" grades... it hardly seems fair. I think taking them all out to dinner is a great idea though... something that includes the whole family. :)

Diane... :wave:

[Lynda-WA]

Originally posted by Diane P.

Good grades were always easy for my oldest and youngest dd's to get... but my middle dd struggled just to get a C... 8o and we knew that she had worked darn hard to get those C's, and that was a great accomplishment for her... and we always tried to make a big deal about it so that it would give her an incentive to continue to work hard... and maybe do even better. :) She's now in college and getting straight A's in everything... :yippee: I feel for those kids who have to work so hard and constantly struggle for "okay" grades... it hardly seems fair.
Diane... :wave:

I sometimes wonder if having to work for your grades isn't an advantage in the long run. My brother that worked for his C's is easily more of a financial success then my sister and I. Maybe working for the grades gives you a step up on the whole work ethic thing.