I am not a parent who considers herself above a bribe. In fact, I think we all bribe and are bribed, whether we like to admit it or not. If we do the homework, we get an A. If we make the numbers at work, we get the bonus. If we clip the coupons, we save the money. The system of costs and rewards is just a natural part of life, and sometimes the higher the reward, the greater effort we’re willing to extend.
Case in Point. I have a reluctant reader. She has the imagination of Anne of Green Gables and the directional skills of her brilliant father, but she just doesn’t enjoy reading by herself (yet). It’s about as fun for her as a visit to the dentist, and reading time usually involves lots of high-pitched whining and loud sighing. I know this about my little reluctant reader. I also know that she really, really wants a cell phone. Enter the bribe. I had read somewhere awhile back that a mother offered her kid a $100 dollar bill to read his entire Bible from cover to cover. I remember her saying that she was “investing in their love for reading and their knowledge of God.” And while we didn’t offer our reluctant reader the Ben Franklin, we did say that we would buy her a phone if she read her “Early Readers” Bible, by herself, from first page to last.
And, folks, I have a different child. We started three days ago, and she is already 1/3 of the way through! And I haven’t prompted or begged or encouraged her to pick it up once. On her own, she has been motivated enough to read her bible in the car, in her bed at night, and to her little sister during playtime.
My reluctant reader is actually reading. And she’s enjoying it for the first time in her life.
Definitely worth a little bribery.
ALifeOverseas.com / LauraParkerBlog.com.
Destined Traveler.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
One missionary’s response to another’s refusal to ‘bribe’: paying someone to do what they ought not to do is a bribe; paying them to do what they should do is a reward.
(Note: two very different cultures were involved. That response is not the beginning and end of all wisdom on the subject!)
Jesus Himself acted “for the joy set before Him.”
Oh, Amy, I like that take on it! I like incentives or rewards much better, and I like the idea of rewarding for positive behavior instead of negative. And I love your reminder that Jesus Himself did the hard obedience for “joy” in front of Him. Thanks for the perspective . . .
It’s so important to draw attention to reading, and attract reluctant readers to it, especially boys.
I grew up as a reluctant reader, in spite of the fact that my father published over 70 books. Now I write Christian action-adventures & mysteries, especially for tween boys, that avid boy readers and girls enjoy just as much.
My blog, Books for Boys http://booksandboys.blogspot.com is dedicated to drawing attention to the importance of reading. And my new book, Lost Island Smugglers – first in the Sam Cooper Adventure Series – is coming out in August. .
Max Elliot Anderson
PS. My first 7 books are going to be republished by Comfort Publishing later in 2010
Wow! Thanks Max. I’m so glad you are fostering a love of literature for children. Keep up the good work, and maybe we’ll have to check out your books in person at some point when our kids get a bit older. Take care, and thanks for stopping by.
I prefer the word ‘incentives’….. =) hahaha
Who is she going to call in Thailand? Is this a trick?
Will she be able to call us in North Carolina? Go Kelty!