To think that the reward in exams is the exam grade and does not require a cash payout?

[Sk8r]

Friends are rewarding their 'A' level stage kids with £100 for each A grade, £50 for B and £20 for C.

GCSEs are being rewarded with £50 for A*, £20 for A, £10 for B

School summer exams are being rewarded with £10 for each subject scored over 60%.

I feel slightly guilty for not rewarding my kids the same way their peers are, but I feel that the exam grade is the reward for the hardwork not cash. AIBU?

absolutely - thise reaults are a passport to the next big thing for most kids - they keep them on their CV, and

I always get DC a gift for good school reports.

If the parents want and can afford it I see no reason why the parents shouldn't reward the hard work put in for exams.

sorry but also meant to say - I will give my DC a present of some sort when they have got through them, I do for good school reports but it is never used as a carrot and it is at my discretion. ie I wouldnt be havign them negotiate £100 per A*?

But being devil advocate if thats what gets some kids through and works for them i think thats fine but thats their business I suppose.

Depeds what values you have instilled in the reguarding work ethic and education.

Mine got a congratulations and a well done.

I don't think that either you or your friends are being unreasonable. It's an individual decision.

I find it a bit crass to reward per grade tbh.

Mine are only little, but we do still offer a reward twice a year when they have their reports. But i wouldn't agree something in advance for specific things.

The last one, they both had glowing reports both for achievement and (more importantly) attitude/behaviour/effort. So we took them to the zoo as a well done.

I think it's just horrible. It's rewarding attainment, not effort, and smacks of bribery. My grandparents did it. I wouldn't allow grandparents to do this for my children. It smacks of linking worth to the grades and makes me deeply uncomfortable. I'd rather give a treat once exam time is over and before the results come out.

I agree with your title. Not with your guilt.
The results are the reward.

YANBU

I agree with you, but at the same time I will be offering my ds's a cash incentive to do well in their GCSEs when the time comes. I know I could have done better than I did in my GCSEs if I'd bothered doing any revision, and a cash reward may well have made the difference.

One of mine is doing their A level exams at the moment.

We'll be giving some kind of treat (haven't decided yet), just for working so hard at revision.

You're right OP. I think I got a present but the scale of the present would have been the same regardless of the grades I got. It was more to reward the effort than the actual grades.

Other girls did get paid by grade. It's an odd approach I think.

My DD got john barrowman tickets as her gcse reward! He's her guilty secret!! I've told her younger brother that I'llaje no difference when it's his turn-he doesn't seem too keen on that idea though?? Can't think why???!!!0

When I got my GCSE results in 1997 my parents got me the latest Oasis album, which had been released that week

I guess we probably reward good results with some sort of treat but it is always spontaneous and not pre-planned.

Ok, so we have tried everything with dss to get him to study, we offered a bribe reward for grades. Totaling £5k (jointly with his mum) to buy a car next year. Maths, English & science £1k each for a* down to £250 for c's. Other subjects have differing values.
reality is, it's made no difference, we will be lucky to pay out £200 between us. I really wish it had of worked as it would mean he's got good grades instead of the raft of d's and e's he will get. :(

He was/is capable of b's and c's if he put the effort in, unfortunately he couldn't be bothered. Argh

I did mine well over a decade ago and didn't get anything than a pat on the back. I won't be giving mine a payment per grade but I'd probably do something special for them if they worked hard (regardless of whether they did well).

I don't agree with monetary rewards for grades, even though I'd have had a tidy sum based on what your friends are paying out .

The motivation should be to do as well as you can. How will these parents deal with things if their DCs have bombed? Maybe a treat for doing really well or better than expected - as in they have made a real effort and had taken on board report/parents' night/mock exam feedback.

How many teenagers would actually see it like that though? A bit of cash may be the extra push they need.

yanbu, however for some parents it is the only way to get the kids to do anything.

I got £20 for an A and £10 for a B in my GCSEs. I'd had huge problems with school though with bullying and it was very hard for me to go to school at all never mind the stress of the exams.

I don't see the problem if the parents can afford it. My DCs are a long way off major exams but I'll be either giving them money or a present if they get good results for their ability.

I think getting the grades she needs to enter her chosen career is the main incentive for my A level taking daughter. I don't think offering her money would make her work any harder.

Perhaps a lazy child without motivation it might! I would have thought it might work better at GCSE stage though.

I agree with OP.

I don't agree with cash rewards for getting certain grades. Nor for getting good reports.

I expect DD to try hard in all her subjects. I do not give financial rewards for doing what is expected.

When it comes to GCSEs/A Levels I will not be giving financial rewards either. If she does well then her reward will be good grades and all that comes as a result of that... the opportunities those grades bring.

I also think there is a danger that if a child doesn't get the grade they wanted, or a high enough grade, even if they revised really hard and just had an off day. What then? They put the effort it and it didn't work. Not only do they have the disappointment of the grade but also they have a very clear indication from parents that doing their best wasn't good enough.

As for it being the only way a child will do any work...well, then - let them fail some exams. It won't be the end of the world. If it important to them they can and will resit. But they will learn an important lesson all being well. And they won't come away with the impression that money is easily gained - bank of mum and dad and all that.