(SAMANTHA DOUGLAS | SNN)
By SAMANTHA DOUGLAS
SNN Staff Writer
Some kids who get good grades, get the satisfaction of knowing they did well and their parents’ appreciation. Other students, however, get cold hard cash – or even a car.
This year Lakewood High School junior Tyrese Hurst made the honor roll, and because of that was able to inherit his brother’s 1996 Monte Carlo. His mom pays insurance and puts gas in the car.
“I was excited,” he said. “Now I can get to what I got to get to whenever I want to get to it.”
Report cards come out on Wednesday (3/30), and the controversy over paying kids for good grades comes up again. Some think it is a good motivator while others think it sends a bad message.
Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, known as CNN’s “Money Coach”, thinks it’s a good thing to reward your children for grades. According to a study on children and money conducted by the American Institute of CPAs, nearly half of all U.S. parents (48 percent) rewarded their kids financially for good grades. The average for an A, among those who paid their kids, was $16.60.
Khalfani-Cox said that high-achieving students are most likely to get academic scholarships. Paying them can give them motivation to reach that goal.
“So by paying my kids when they get good grades, it reiterates the message we teach them about being conscious about your financial decisions and spending money on things that really matter,” Khalfani-Cox said.
Amy McCready, Founder of PositiveParentingSolutions.com, on the other hand, thinks that you shouldn’t pay kids for grades because you can’t buy good grades for a long time.
“After a while rewards dampen excitement about a task,” she said. “If the reward is money for good grades, it sends the message that the reason to work hard in school is to enrich your wallet rather than your mind.”
Once school ends and students are not getting paid for good grades, they could lose motivation to do well. Some say getting good grades should be a reward by itself.
“Kids don’t have a job, so their job is to make good grades. I do believe in doing something rewarding at the end of the semester. By paying kids you send the wrong message. Parents should find a way to be creative in showing they’re proud of their kids. Paying sets them up for failure,” basketball coach Necole Tunsil said.
Tunsil has two foster kids – Tyler, 15, Jordan, 12. They get grounded and lose their privileges if they get bad grade.
“They won’t be able to watch TV, (they will have an) early bed time,” she said. “The reward is I take them shopping – not to buy them things, but to keep them motivated. … There is no reason to have C’s, D’s and F’s. I have a study table and that’s a time for them to get help in any subject area.”
Student athletes are held to the same standards by their coaches as they are their parents. Some coaches make their players work out more than usual if they get bad grades, while other coaches make their players sit out an upcoming game.
“I don’t have a consequence (from my parents), but from coach we got to bust that butt on the line. My reward is I can go places without being rejected,” said sophom*ore Toi Smith, who plays basketball.
Art teacher Larry West said if his song, senior Larry West Jr., gets bad grades he won’t be allowed to play sports – and if he does really well, he can make up to $1,000.
“No C’s or D’s in the house. He will get in trouble,” West Sr. said. “He’s rewarded by a goal, that is if you make straight A’s he will get $1,000.”
Computer teacher and track coach Anthony Snead, who has two kids, ages 8 and 5, said he also thinks that money motivates kids.
“(They get) $4 for every A. For the punishment I would take their stuff away. They can’t go outside. No electronics,” he said. “But I don’t have to worry about that right now. … My children haven’t had bad grades.”
