Using goals and rewards to prevent risky behaviors

Learn about: Using goals and rewards to prevent risky behaviors from Jonathan Scott,...
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Using goals and rewards to prevent risky behaviors

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One of the best tools that parents have to try and protect their kids from drug abuse is the idea that you set a goal and you reward the completion of that goal. We spend so much time as parents, looking at our kids trying to figure out what they are doing wrong, why don't we spend some time to try and figure out what they are doing right. When you develop a goal, set the goal, and have a defined reward that the kid will get if they reach the goal. By definition, that means that you need to have a list of consequences which will come into play if they don't make the goal, but parent who taught us this, here is how she set it up: My daughter and I had an agreement. We check with each other every six months, if she hasn't used drugs or alcohol, I reward her with two tickets to a concert or show of her choice. One for her and one for her friend of choice. I drive her and her friend to the show. I pick them up. I don't speak while I'm driving, because that would cause her to be embarrassed, that's her reward. Her consequence if she doesn't meet her goal, she has to go to school for a full year without makeup on. That doesn't necessarily mean a lot to everyone, but to her it meant a lot. She went all the way through High School and College without using. When you have a goal, you are teaching your kids how to set them. That's the best way to teach them how to set a goal and reach them.

Learn about: Using goals and rewards to prevent risky behaviors from Jonathan Scott,...

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Jonathan Scott

Drug Prevention Speaker, Author & Dad

Miles to Go educators, Jonathan and Kelly are professional speakers, writers and parents who specialize in drug prevention education for students, teachers and parents. Working from their base in Southern California, they have spent the past 17 years lecturing in the private school community using humor, science and multi-sensory teaching techniques to simplify a complex subject. Their first book, Not All Kids Do Drugs came out in 2010 and their second The Mother’s Checklist of Drug Prevention in 2011. Their third book, Where’s The Party was published in 2012.

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