Is 2.6 too young for a reward chart?

[Ceebee74]

Would a 2.6 year old understand the concept?

Have set one up for DS1 to try and stop him hurting his new baby brother. I explained it to him tonight and I think he understood but just wondered if I am expecting too much from him to actually grasp it.

Am just trying anything that will stop him hurting DS2 and he does understand about 'rewards' as they get stickers at nursery for being good.

I don't think my DS who is 2.8 would get this... but I suspect it depends on the child. What immediate behaviour are you going to reward? I think DS would understand "if you put your vest on you get a sticker" - immediate action and consequence. I don't think he would understand "if you don't hit you baby brother for 30 minutes you get a sticker" - also he shouldn't be not hurting his DB for reward... that's my gut feel but I as I say, I suspect it depends on the child.

How old is your baby? Maybe your eldest just needs more time and reassurance that he's still got a place in the family.

I would be tempted to be more immediate with consequence e.g. if he hits baby with a toy, toy gets removed till next day or whatever.

Absolutley he should understand !! Well done for starting one, the hardest thing is keeping it going. Don't be afraid to re-introduce it either if, once his behaviour improves it slips again.

Lots of praise for when he is gentle too, and congratulations on DS2 !!!

I really think it depends on the child. My dd was well up for it at 2.5. We made a chart with categories. We had pictures of her for each area....so for eating, being good when out (on buses etc). We gave the stickers for small achievements in those areas - like getting off the bus without a fuss. When she reached the top of her chart she could choose a reward ( a book or whatever)

I used a reward chart with my ds when he was 2.6 - but that was for potty training. I guess it depends on the individual child as to whether they "get" it or not. Try it and see. Nothing ventured, nothing gained and all that.

I don't think a child that young would get it at all. And some kids, mine included, aren't remotely interested in getting rewards anyway.

It's a phase, and a normal part of development, particularly when it comes to smaller siblings.

If he goes for stickers, then it might work eventually, but there's a danger of introducing the concept too soon.

Have to disagree with you, Desiderata. I can categorically state that my ds perfectly well understood the concept of the sticker chart at 2.6. It worked so well that he was potty-trained in a week, with the homemade sticker/reward chart scheme as the only incentive.

Some do, my DD hates it with a passion and doesn't work for her.

Agree with Weegle that you have to be clear about what the behaviour it is that you want to reward - it is usually better to reward a behaviour that you want to see more of rather than the absence of a behaviour so you could reward something like 'being gentle with x'. Depends on the child and the reward whether they work - they have to want to achieve the reward whether it is praise, a sticker, a present etc - most of us have our price!

DD2 is 2.5 and I doubt she'd have a clue. And if she did, am pretty sure it would have zero impact... she wouldn't be able to 'think ahead' to the reward at the moment of doing what she's not meant to do, IYSWIM

DD1 at 2.6 did not give a shit about them. I know because I tried one!

Ooh mixed responses - it seems some do and some don't.

As Mcbolshy said, nothing ventured nothing gained so it is worth a try (I will try anything at the moment!) but I will change the expected behaviour to be positive (i.e. I will be gentle towards DS2 today rather than I will not bite, hit or scratch DS2 today).

He has always responded very well to bribery/threats etc - whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, I don't know.

Ah well, we will start tomorrow and see how it goes.

I did one for ds at 2....which seemed young but I thought I would give it a go. I needed him to brush his teeth. Just one sticker each night he brushed nicely, with a lot of fuss. I did explain about getting a present at the end of the week but tbh that was too long - his reward was the sticker and the fuss. It did work, although we have stopped for a bit now. I guess depends on child and what "does it for them".

It worked amazingly with DS1 at that age. I drew a picture like a dragon and put one on each scale.

They quite often ended up on his nose but he really responded to it and kept explaining why he was gettin it.