Changing Behavior with Sticker Charts

Play episode

Bruce Gulland and Christy VanArragon look at one tool for parents, as they try to influence their children’s behavior.

Voice 1  

Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Bruce Gulland.

Voice 2  

And I’m Christy VanArragon. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

Follow along on YouTube
Voice 1  

Do you know a child who likes to say, “No!”? As any parent knows, children sometimes refuse to do what a parent tells them to do. It can be very difficult for parents.

Voice 2  

Sometimes, children march around angrily, lie on the ground, or even hit. This is not much fun for parents or children. But there is tool that can help. Sticker charts are one way to praise, punish and teach children. And they help parents stay calm and in control. Today’s Spotlight is on sticker charts.

Voice 1  

It is difficult to raise children. Even well-behaved children can cause problems. Parents want their children to grow into healthy, strong adults. But it is difficult to know the best way to do this. Parents may try punishing, shaming, shouting or hitting. But these methods teach children to deal with their problems using violence. However, one method that has worked for many people is a sticker chart.

Voice 2  

A chart is any piece of paper with a series of squares. The squares are where parents will place the stickers. Stickers are pieces of paper that will attach, or stick, to other things. They come in many shapes and sizes. They can be shaped like animals, faces, stars, or something else the child enjoys. When a child does something good, the parent attaches a sticker to the square on the chart. And if a family cannot use stickers, they can write a special mark or picture in the chart. When the child has filled all the squares with stickers or marks, she receives a prize.

Voice 1  

Here is how you use the sticker chart. Imagine a child leaves his toys where they do not belong. His parents want him to clean up at the end of the day. They tell their son that every time he cleans up his toys, they will put a sticker on the chart. They ask him what a good prize would be for filling the chart. He says, “I want to help cook a meal!” Everyone agrees this is a good prize.

Voice 2  

They put the chart where the child can see it. Their son still sometimes forgets to put away his things. So his parents simply do not award a sticker for that day. But their son wants more stickers so he begins to put away his things more often. And when he fills his chart, he gets to help cook a meal. It is a fun event the whole family can enjoy.

Voice 1  

Before creating a sticker chart, Child Psychologist Erin N. King says there are a few things to remember.

Voice 2  

First, the goal should be stated positively. It is better to say, “John will keep his hands to himself.” than, “John will not hit other children.”

Voice 1  

Second, think about how long the child must behave. It is difficult for a child to behave all day. If she makes a mistake in the morning, she will have no reason to behave for the rest of the day.

Voice 2  

Finally, only concentrate on one or two behaviours at one time. Children are still learning how to control themselves. Too many goals can be too much to remember.

Voice 1  

You must also consider the age and ability of each child. If a sticker chart is too complex, the child will not be able to understand it.

Voice 2  

You may also let the child create the sticker chart, and choose the goals and prizes. This will help the child feel involved. It will increase the chance that the sticker chart will work to change behaviour.

Voice 1  

Sticker charts have several advantages for parents. They do not require parents to shout at, hit, or shame the child. Those methods teach children to solve problems with violence. When parents have a bad day, they may be less able to deal with children than on a good day. But sticker charts help stop parents from letting how they feel influence how they treat their children.

Voice 2  

And children like sticker charts too! Children need structure they can depend on. This makes them feel safe. Feeling safe is an important part of learning and growing. Sticker charts show children what parents expect of them. They also show progress. Children can see what they have done. They can follow along as they work toward a goal.

Voice 1  

Sticker charts do not always work. Some children are too young. A good age to begin is around three years old. As children grow, both their goals and prizes need to grow too. A sticker chart will not work if the goals are too simple or the prizes too small.

Voice 2  

Sticker charts also do not work unless parents also follow the rules. When a child does not earn a sticker, some parents will feel bad. They will still give her a sticker. This teaches her that her parents will give her what she wants even if she does not behave.

Voice 1  

And finally, some children just do not seem to care about sticker charts. This can be difficult for parents – especially when one child reacts well to sticker charts and another child does not.

Voice 2  

But sticker charts are not a perfect tool, even if people use them correctly. Erica Reischer is a family Psychologist. She helps families to work through problems together. She argues that tools like sticker charts can be harmful to children. She says that children begin to expect awards for ALL good behaviour. They affect a child’s own personal desire to do good things. A child may be less likely to help or behave if they do not get a sticker for doing it.

Voice 1

So how can parents know if using a sticker chart is good or bad for their children? Sticker charts can be a way for children to learn right behaviour. It is easy to try this method and think about how it is affecting your family. And it is important to remember that the relationship between parent and child is always more important than a tool like a sticker chart.

Voice 2  

Do you think a sticker chart would change how you act? Would you use a sticker chart with your children? Did your parents use one for you? Tell us what you think. You can leave a comment on our website. Or email us at radio@radioenglish.net. You can also comment on Facebook at Facebook.com/spotlightradio.

Voice 1  

The writer of this program was Adam Navis. The producer was Bruce Gulland. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called, “Changing Behavior with Sticker Charts”.

Voice 2  

Look for our listening app in the Google Play Store and in iTunes. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.

Question:

If you have children, what methods do you use to encourage good behaviour? If you do not have children, what methods did your parents use with you? Write your answer in the comments below.

Join the discussion

25 comments
  • I grew up from my teenage with a Spotlight club, here in the ecuatorian amazon. A missionary teacher from the U.S come to teach us. It´s about 13 years with Sptotlight, now i a teacher in a elementary school. So I´m so thankful with God and Spotlight. one day I’d like to tell you more about my experience teaching in the jungle.

  • I have children and I didn’t used sticker charts . Id like to try the sticker charts method.
    I listen before a long time about this method and it’s change many children from rude to a good behave . I agrees that the raise children very hard and it’s take a long time to be a good adult apart violence .Be patient

  • I prefer one method is to parent say the child does something and the parent give the child a prize or gift simple for Highly appreciated For child.

  • I have children and this theme very beautiful. I prefer to improve my children bahaviour by give them some gifts and I let to explain their mistakes and teach them how to resolve it . I also learn them debending on themself

  • I have never heard about sticker chart before, so it was very interesting for me. I will try to use this method to encourage my daughter

  • Hello
    The good behaviour that I learned is sharing my foods to other children when i was child so nowadays i try to share my books or my other things that help people around.

  • Sticker chart it’s good and bad in the same time it’s good in some way because it make child make good thing in good way and it make parents quieter but, it’s bad because it make child expect prize and may they do not do good things without prize.

  • I feel lucky because when i was child, my parents taught me good behaviors instead of using violent. If my parents is so angry, they will scold me.

  • For me this method is usually good for childern to learn more about patience and self-reliance themselves, we know that any thing has positive or negative side, and this method excat should be more careful with the children during its steps, that is, people use it in the right way

  • i think this methods are quite interesting. i don’t have baby, however in the future, when i have baby i will try sticker chart . thanks Spotlight

  • I think it is a good idea to use a tool like the star charts to encourage children to stop doing bad habits.
    If the parents complain of a bad habit of the child, each time the child does the opposite of that habit, the child marks a star on the chart.

  • I am a student and my parents are not Gen Z, so They use traditional method to make bahaviour. Therefore, when I have a children, I think I will use this method to encourage good behaviour.

  • I like ur english teaching methods so much , especially ur way of broadcasting by using two accents [ US and UK ] , I have heard to many broadcasts about english teaching by listening , no one of them follow your method . Teaching by two accents .

    Thanks .. keep going

  • Can be let sticker charts one of other tools we must use alot of way to edit children behavior and that depend on many factors like age, state, position, attitude…

  • I do not have a children , but my parents they used methods to encourage me to make my good behavior like to be honest with me ,to encourage me when I want to do something benefit for my self , when I want to chose something different than they expecting.

  • I don’t like the method of sticker chart. But some parent can like and use for their children. I don’t like because if parent let use the method to good their kid, kids only know that if they are polite or they have good grade they definitely believe that they will get rewards. At they are at childhood, they don’t know much, but when they become as teenagers, parent don’t use the method should be explained which behavior is good or bad to clearly understant to their children. Rewards are useful for chid’s motivation. Sometimes, parent can give rewards to their child for successful their goal.

  • I don’t have children, but in the future, I hope using good methods to encourage and make a strong relationship with my children.

  • I have not had children yet , but I think this method is good to encourage a child. My parents were awarding me a prize when I do my responsibilities

  • I have one child .Her age is 4 years .l haven’t used this method before, but I plan to use it in the future.And I think this manner is very useful.

More from this show

Episode 2