It seems a lot of people buy their kids a present/ take them to McDonald's or something if they get a good report card from school. We've never done this as we think being good and trying hard at school is an expectation. We do tell the kids how great they are and how proud we are, but haven't done the pressie thing. Am I being a big Meany mummy or does it set up something that can be hard to continue for 12 odd years, and what happens if they fail a subject when they've tried their best. Seems like a minefield to me. What do you think?
reward for report card?
- mummy on the run
- QLD, Australia
- Total posts: 366
- Jarylee
- Australia
- Total posts: 407
I haven't been in this position yet but think there is a difference between reward and celebrate! I would be inclined to say, let's celebrate your brilliant report how about we go down the beach and grab an ice-cream as a family, or let's go out for dinner tonight to celebrate!
Success should be celebrated smile
Success should be celebrated smile
- Mum2OneBoy
- New Zealand
- Total posts: 680
I haven't been in the position either. But we didn't get a reward growing up, and most of our friends did.
We did however, get to choose dinner (home cooked) or something like ride in the front seat of the car (yeah!) for things like A+ on assignments or 10/10 on a test, even spelling tests at primary school.
So, no you are not a mean mummy. Just a mum who expects her children to achieve to the best of their ability without always being rewarded. The reward will be their own success.
But, I have a friend who gives reward to one and not the other. Her son achieves great results with a reward, her daughter achieves great results because she is a true geek who strives for excellence.
We did however, get to choose dinner (home cooked) or something like ride in the front seat of the car (yeah!) for things like A+ on assignments or 10/10 on a test, even spelling tests at primary school.
So, no you are not a mean mummy. Just a mum who expects her children to achieve to the best of their ability without always being rewarded. The reward will be their own success.
But, I have a friend who gives reward to one and not the other. Her son achieves great results with a reward, her daughter achieves great results because she is a true geek who strives for excellence.
- Lisa_Jem
- SA, Australia
- Total posts: 334
I do treat my DD if she gets a good report - and by that I dont mean highest marks, I mean that it must show she has tried hard in her subjects. I dont expect perfection - I am not perfect and neither is she - but I expect her to try her best.
Again, I dont see it as a reward as such, but a celebration (especially at end of year) of all the hard work she has done.
Again, I dont see it as a reward as such, but a celebration (especially at end of year) of all the hard work she has done.
- jazool
- QLD, Australia
- Total posts: 2939
I guess I am a mean mummy too ! smile
I had honestly never thought about doing this, and my son had just finished year one (so 4 report cards later .... lol)
We have always sat down and read through it with him and looked at his portfolio, talking about how proud we are of him. He does know how proud we are of all the work he puts in, you can tell by the smile he gets that he knows we are proud, and then he is too!
I do like the celebration idea, eg choice of dinner, riding in the front seat will be a great idea as he turns 7 next year and is so keen to do this! So I think that a more spontaneous celebration could be a great idea.
I had honestly never thought about doing this, and my son had just finished year one (so 4 report cards later .... lol)
We have always sat down and read through it with him and looked at his portfolio, talking about how proud we are of him. He does know how proud we are of all the work he puts in, you can tell by the smile he gets that he knows we are proud, and then he is too!
I do like the celebration idea, eg choice of dinner, riding in the front seat will be a great idea as he turns 7 next year and is so keen to do this! So I think that a more spontaneous celebration could be a great idea.
Mr J (April 2005) Miss Z (Feb 2007) and Miss O (Oct 2010)
- Former Member
- -
I haven't been in this position yet but think there is a difference between reward and celebrate! I would be inclined to say, let's celebrate your brilliant report how about we go down the beach and grab an ice-cream as a family, or let's go out for dinner tonight to celebrate!
Success should be celebrated smile
I agree!
- Izzys_Mum
- New Zealand
- Total posts: 844
I am not there yet with my DD, but when I was a kid my mother would get us a "reward" of a new story book/novel or similar for a good report card. However, we always got good report cards so we got a new book every time, and my mother probably would have bought the books anyway to keep us quiet over the school holidays. (But I have recently found a few of these books and it is cute to see my mother's note in the front saying "congratulations on a great report card" or whatever.)
Anyway, I like the idea of celebrating things as a family rather than allowing one child to choose dinner, or to ride in the front seat, or whatever. Just because in most families, siblings would likely get their report cards (or have sat tests or whatever) on the same day.
Anyway, I like the idea of celebrating things as a family rather than allowing one child to choose dinner, or to ride in the front seat, or whatever. Just because in most families, siblings would likely get their report cards (or have sat tests or whatever) on the same day.