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Posts tagged ‘parent-child bond’

Reading Rewards

Recently in class I read an article about the culture around parents buying toys for their children.  The article pointed out that the mother of a child tends to buy them more toys and gifts, however the father tends to buy more expensive items.  The mother always had the sacred mother-child bond, as most women were stay at home mothers (the article was written in the early 1900’s), while, the article argued, the fathers bought their children gifts as a way to create a similar bond.

Although this is not always the case now, as many more women are in the work force, I really see a parallel in my life.  Before reading this article I never really thought about it, however my father was always the one that got me my more expensive toys.  He bought me Nintendo 64 games, overpriced paraphernalia, and other such expensive items.

My dad would reward me for reading with video games.  Every 5 or so books that I read, I would get a new Nintendo 64 game.  Looking back on it, this reward system may have had a two-pronged outcome.  It helped create the father-son bond, while furthering my knowledge and education.  I read books and novels just for fun so much more when I was younger than I do now.

Some schools now reward their students for reading, giving them prizes, parties, and playing games.  I really think that rewarding young students for reading helps motivate them to read more and more.  While they are thinking about the short term rewards, they will really be benefiting from the long term one of broadening their education.

Nintendo 64 Game Console

Nintendo 64 Game Console. Photo Credit: Scott Peak