mbw0817 Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 This is so not a curriculum question, but does anyone reward good behavior during school time with tv or computer time? Like if the kid has a positive attitude and does the work without complaint, he's allowed to watch a 30 minute show later in the afternoon? Just wondering. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 My daughter's attitude and behavior do affect her "privileges" around the house. She is allowed to play thinks like Jumpstart and Starfall - and looks forward to it. If she has a bad attitude that day she loses the opportunity to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 We don't do that, because we've found that screen time has negative effects on our dc's behaviour. They are only allowed one movie, or one computer game each, either on Saturday or Sunday; they can lose it for some horrendous misbehaviour, but it's never increased for any reason. That's just what works for us. If we want to reward our dc for anything, we use different incentives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nart Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 My 4 year old son is able to watch a TV show/DVD if he does a reading lesson. He is given the choice of not doing a reading lesson, but then he doesn't get to watch any TV. He has always chosen to read. I think it motivates him to watch the show immediately after the reading lesson. If he becomes too fidgety or isn't paying attention during a lesson, I ask him what show he wants to watch and remind him we need to first finish the lesson. It works well to motivate him. After he watches the show or later in the day then we will sometimes do a math lesson if he asks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforjoy Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 We do. Video game and computer time are privileges, and he earns them by good behavior. Behavior during school time counts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbw0817 Posted May 15, 2011 Author Share Posted May 15, 2011 Thanks for your responses! I am always on the fence regarding screen time, mainly b/c it's so easy to get in the habit of turning it on just whenever - especially since my kids aren't doing "real" school yet (unless 10 min of phonics counts). I have given it up completely in the past, but maybe if I only allow them (my son, particularly) to watch it only when he does his school work w/o whining, it will keep us all in line a bit more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonsmama Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 For years I let my son watch a morning show (PBS) if he got up and got his piano practiced and scriptures read by 7:00 am. Now that has moved to a tv show or 30 minutes of Wii if he gets all his lessons done by 3:00 pm without attitude. This has worked well for our family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VBoulden Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 If my daughter isn't doing school work or reading or playing outside or doing crafts, she's having screen time of one kind or another or another... She watches DVDs, explores Usborne quicklinks, uses Typingweb, plays with her Webkins, plays Nintendo DS or Xbox360... I don't use screens as a reward since they are basically a "given" for free time. But, I take them away if she misbehaves. In my opinion, screens are not a negative unless the content ON them is negative. One can make an argument that they are inferior to books, arts and crafts, etc. but since my daughter reads two plus hours a day (not counting school work) and since she draws constantly... I have no problem with screen time. Homeschoolers have a ton of free time to fill... We fill a few hours with screens. We just make sure the games, DVDs, etc. we allow aren't negative (in our opinion.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispa Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 No, we don't reward or "consequate" with screen time; DS (8) can turn the TV and computer on or off -- or pull out books or drawing things or Legos or board games or puzzles or character sets or trains -- as he likes. Those are all equivalent options to him. For us, the reward for being attentive to schoolwork is having a pleasant time and getting finished in good time. :) (By the same token, the natural consequence for grumbling is feeling rather miserable while the grumbling is going on.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 (edited) Kiddo is rewarded with evening time at the Y with peers if he does his work in a timely manner (this works quite well). If he dawdles, it is too late to go. On weekends, when we do more work, if he's done well, he gets to watch Jason and the Argonauts or more than 30 minutes of his nature shows (David Attenborough or a geology BBC production) (and he has just discovered Yes, Minister, which I am VERY excited about, since the language is so rich). Sometimes he gets ice cream for spot-on concentration above and beyond the required level. So far, the natural reward of having time in the evening to go play tag in the park or at the Y has been a benign reward. Every now and then he brings home slang or bad grammar from these peers, and I remind him to "keep it at the Y", and if it continues at home, we'll curtail the Y. That stops him in his tracks. I do tell him why ... that people are smart enough to tailor their speech to the situation, but that he'll have to learn proper English in order to be able to use it when he needs to. Edited May 15, 2011 by kalanamak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Yes-- if DS works cheerfully, he gets 10 minutes Ipod time after HS is done. Everytime he grumbles or throws a pencil, I take away 1 minute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I don't use it as a reward all the time. Only on special occasions. However it is one of the first things I take away for bad behavior ;). Adrian just completed Horizons Math 1 today. I gave him more than an hour of computer time :). We accelerated it to finish and he was doing several lessons a day even working on a Sunday. He deserved every minute of it :D! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbw0817 Posted May 16, 2011 Author Share Posted May 16, 2011 If my daughter isn't doing school work or reading or playing outside or doing crafts, she's having screen time of one kind or another or another... She watches DVDs, explores Usborne quicklinks, uses Typingweb, plays with her Webkins, plays Nintendo DS or Xbox360... I don't use screens as a reward since they are basically a "given" for free time. But, I take them away if she misbehaves. In my opinion, screens are not a negative unless the content ON them is negative. One can make an argument that they are inferior to books, arts and crafts, etc. but since my daughter reads two plus hours a day (not counting school work) and since she draws constantly... I have no problem with screen time. Homeschoolers have a ton of free time to fill... We fill a few hours with screens. We just make sure the games, DVDs, etc. we allow aren't negative (in our opinion.) I think it's wonderful that your daughter is able to balance media and free reading/drawing/etc. In my house, I suspect that the tv would be on all.the.time if I let them watch it whenever they wanted to. Maybe that will change once my son is reading fluently? I *love* to read, and I pray he will enjoy it too. For us, the reward for being attentive to schoolwork is having a pleasant time and getting finished in good time. :) (By the same token, the natural consequence for grumbling is feeling rather miserable while the grumbling is going on.) Amen to that! Kiddo is rewarded with evening time at the Y with peers if he does his work in a timely manner (this works quite well). If he dawdles, it is too late to go. A new Y just opened up in my town, and I think it is fantastic! So worth the monthly membership. What does your son do when he's there with his friends? Ours has a teen room with a pool table, ping pong, and such. But I just love that there is always access to a gym for pickup games, swimming pool, etc. It is really the ideal resource for homeschoolers, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenmama2 Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Kiddo is rewarded with evening time at the Y with peers if he does his work in a timely manner (this works quite well). If he dawdles, it is too late to go. On weekends, when we do more work, if he's done well, he gets to watch Jason and the Argonauts or more than 30 minutes of his nature shows (David Attenborough or a geology BBC production) (and he has just discovered Yes, Minister, which I am VERY excited about, since the language is so rich).to. Yes, Minister is awesome! No rewards here but I do make it clear occasionally that screentime must come after things like music practice etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Sometimes. Last year I had a child that would get two problems done in the hour allotted to math time! It was amazing how that changed when I told him he could earn 30 minutes of computer time for each lesson that was finished during that 30 minutes. All of the sudden 2 lessons was the average for his hour of math time. So I use it as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 A new Y just opened up in my town, and I think it is fantastic! So worth the monthly membership. What does your son do when he's there with his friends? Ours has a teen room with a pool table, ping pong, and such. But I just love that there is always access to a gym for pickup games, swimming pool, etc. It is really the ideal resource for homeschoolers, IMO. Saturdays he meets up with a tomboy and her brother for games of hide and go seek. Tuesday he often meets someone from the homeschool PE class to swim with. The other nights are foosball, pool, racketball, tag, basketball, etc in a "pick up" fashion. Hubby (who goes with him) says sometimes he does "the machines" and sometimes he sits and watches the big boys play Bball. There is a regular social circle of a pack of boys and this one tomboy. She has given them all animal names and they have an "animal club". Hubby says they are a nice group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time for Chocolate Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I use it as needed. But always find that their behavior improves when the t.v. stays off. We've considered not watching anything for the summer as a little experiment....:001_smile: I'll let ya know the results if we do it! Judy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquinas Academy Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 No, we don't reward or "consequate" with screen time; DS (8) can turn the TV and computer on or off -- or pull out books or drawing things or Legos or board games or puzzles or character sets or trains -- as he likes. Those are all equivalent options to him. For us, the reward for being attentive to schoolwork is having a pleasant time and getting finished in good time. :) (By the same token, the natural consequence for grumbling is feeling rather miserable while the grumbling is going on.) This is what we do too. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EthiopianFood Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I do. She gets to watch a half-hour show for doing her evening reading lesson. She has two lessons a day (the second one is just reading a story, so it's more reading practice), so I feel she deserves it for having such a mean mom. :) It definitely motivates her though. She almost always tells me that she wants to do it so she can watch her show! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in AZ Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Yes. My kids get their "minutes" as they call them only if they complete their school work, chores, and practicing. They usually get 30 min. to an hour a day. I'd like it to be less. Sometimes I ban them for the week if their attitude has been poor or they have abused the privilege. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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