Lisa Reicosky, Contributor

A Harvard professor recently questioned Pizza Hut's 'Book It' incentive programme, used by 50,000 schools in the United States to reward young readers with free pizzas. Students who meet reading goals get a certificate they can redeem at Pizza Hut for a free personal pan pizza.

The professor said it promotes bad eating habits and turns teachers into corporate promoters. Pizza Hut says it motivates students to read. Pizza aside, the questions that follow this debate are: 'Do incentives work and what should those incentives be?' and 'Should we reward children for doing what they should be doing anyway?'

Praise trumps cash

Deborah Portner, a clinical counsellor in Ashland, Ohio, who deals with self-esteem issues in children, says every child hasa currency. But that doesn't necessarily mean cash and prizes.

"Reward and punishment is an age-old behaviour modification technique and it's pretty successful," she said. "I'm all about raising self-esteem. That doesn't always come from a Game Boy game."

Instead, she said, simply saying to her three kids, ages 13, 11, and 9, "Thank you. I appreciate you for being a part of the Portner team," is an appropriate reward for doing something like putting away the toys or loading the dishwasher.

"I don't give rewards for being part of the family," she explained, adding, "They get rewarded sometimes for the extra things, like when the oldest babysits."

Affirmation and time, she said, are greater rewards than money and the "Portner family fun night" - a movie, popcorn and a board game - is a great way for her to reward teamwork in her family. Every now and then, she'll reward consistent good behaviour with a surprise thank-you note and a $10 gift card. Rewards today, she believes, have lost value because children feel so entitled. If they are rewarded constantly with material items, they'll eventually come to expect bigger and better.

"I've learned through counselling children that consistent praise has a huge amount of value," Portner said.

Baby steps

For some parents, the reward for good behaviour is praise until potty training time rolls around. This is often the first time a tangible reward system is put into place. Sticker charts helped Melissa Blondheim of Lake Township, Ohio, get her first two children, now seven and six, potty trained.

Each time they used the potty they would get a sticker. After 10 stickers, they would get something small, like a lollipop. After 20, they'd get to pick out a small toy. This even worked for one child's bed-wetting problem bed-wetting can't be controlled, Blondheim said she and her husband, Greg, realised it was more of a behavioural issue.

They set goals for their son to stop drinking at a certain hour and made sure he used the bathroom before bed whether he felt like it or not. The sticker system worked so well with her family, she has decided to give it a go with her ninth-grade 're-start' algebra class.

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