Well… privileges for kids are things like use of the car, cell phones, allowances, etc. Rewards might be things like trips to movies or places they enjoy like rock climbing gyms, meals out at their favorite restaurants, an Apple or coffee shop gift card. My kids - ahem - used to like to get to buy a book at the bookstore if they did well. But that might not be every kid’s preference!
If you decide to go down this route, I’d say a couple of things:
- Don't take away every privilege if they get lower grades. Like -- don't trash their whole lives (no phone, no car, cut off allowance, the whole thing). Pick something, let them know your expectation well ahead of time, and then do it.
- Don't expect all As. There lie dragons -- you can easily ruin your relationship with your kids if you push for perfection. As I suggested above, kids with above a 3.0 have choices, and kids with above a 3.5 have better choices.
- Do your best not to fight, nag, cajole during the semester. Stick to your end of the deal, and assume they will stick to theirs. If they don't do well, then remove the privilege with the understanding that they can earn it back with better performance next semester. If they do great, celebrate with whatever reward you promised.
- Don't make it a big drama. Make the deal with them, and then let it play out however they want it to. Ultimately it is their life. You can prompt, but a heavy hand often backfires.