what kind of rewards do you use? | Autism PDD

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Challenger....don't feel bad...if good job and high 5 are working, keep using them!  We used "good job" for the last 1.5 years and it's finally run it's course though.  Now we alternate between matchbox cars, flashlights, shiny stickers and those squishy bug and frog things from wal-mart (88 cents for a pack of 6-8, can't remember how many for sure). Is Mason into games? You could either buy or draw a game board (candyland style), and place a sticker on a square each time he completes something by himself (eating, brushing teeth, getting dressed, sleeping in own bed.) Once he gets to a certain point he could earn a prized activity w/just mom or dad, and once he gets to the end he could earn a trip to a favorite place?

Good Luck!

We mostly use praise.  When my son was younger, we would say "you must be proud of yourself.  give yourself a smile" and he'd "draw" a smile on his face with his finger.

We also used "hip-hurrah's" where we picked him up and threw him in the air saying "hip hip hurrah".  When he got too heavy to throw, we lifted him and held him held him while we jumped or spun around.

We also try to use our son's special interests as a motivator.

Our Andrew is into collections  surprise surprise!
Right now it is hockey cards...it used to be frisbees and balls (any kind golf balls, bouncy balls, etc)
Then he started on playdough he collected many colors and that was nice and cheap

Just to add:

http://www.danasview.net/reinforc.htm

This is a great list of natural reinforcers..I printed it out and put it in Sarah's ABA notebook for the therapists and on the fridge..lots of great ideas..and free:)

wow I'm starting to feel bad now. I just say good job or hi5.

The jungle animals have worked great for us for Nikolas, better than anything else we have found. For Andrew, anything scooby doo, stickers work well.

Thanks for all the great ideas!!

Shelley I liked the page of all the free rewards...I am definitely going to work a lot of those into our daily lives!  I do use a lot of verbal praise with him, he just rarely reacts to it.

Jessica, I like the idea of the board game too...he isn't into too many games---he more likes memory and he likes connect four...but just to make patterns with the checkers...but I thought I could print something up that looks like that game and use that...maybe everytime he gets 4 stickers in a row he gets a prize...sort of along the same idea I'm using now but different enough for him to accept! 

Lisa, wish I had some ideas for you!  I'm sure someone will come along and have some great ideas.  I will tell you that I use the star chart for my 9 yr old (NT) too and his rewards are things like renting a game at blockbuster, or an hour at the skatepark to show mom or dad some new tricks, and of course cash.  I get him begging for extra jobs to do around the house so he can get the game he has been wanting to try etc...don't know if you could find something a little more interesting to him.  But I know how hard that is...kind of what I am going through with Mason--he doesn't have a lot of interests, so it's hard to find the rewards that work for him!  Good luck!

I just asked Sam what he thought would be good rewards/enforcements for older kids and he suggested earning pieces from a Bionicles/Lego set i.e. complete morn. routine without nagging or fighting, earn a piece (or 2) from a stashed set, saving the good pieces for big tasks like cleaning room or learning to do laundry. I would have thought this would have driven him crazy - just knowing there was a Bionicle mask in the house that he hadn't earned yet...

Oh, for the days when ice cubes were a BIG deal. I have a great collection of ice cube trays in different shapes and between 4 and 6 yrs they were our rewards. Sam used to get so excited about fish shaped ice cubes and if I used juice it was extra special.

Mama to Sam 8 yrs PDD NOS OCD ODD PPD  and Alex 2yrs

I know that would drive my son mad to have to earn the pieces to something. The first time he didnt earn a piece hell would break loose and he would not care anymore about earning them. He does love star wars legos and bionicles.

 

Lisa

I got all these little jungle animals thinking they would be a great reinforcer.  Wrong!  Much to ordinary for my son.  He preferred getting a card from a deck of playing cards .  (He loves numbers.)  He also spotted some mini straw that are actually stir sticks.  He really wants them, so we may be using those soon.    I think having multiple rewards would confuse Payne.  We do smile sheets that equal whatever (choice of dinner - mcd's, bk, wendy's or let's say a really stellar 2 weeks = seaworld, etc) We have a season pass to the annheiser-busch parks so that isn't expensive for us.

Just trying to get some ideas for new rewards for Mason.  He seems to do well with them for a few weeks but then loses interest.  I need more than just verbal rewards, it needs to be something physical.

I have done, pennies, stickers, skittles, M&M's, stars...I had/have a whole box of little toy things I got from the dollar store, like matchbox cars, sidewalk chalk, noise makers, balloons (a lot of those little type of birthday party favors.)  I just can't seem to keep him interested for very long.  I change them up and try to bring back the old things I have used but it isn't as successful.

What have you all used?  So I can add it to my list.  

I'm doing it with his older NT brother, too.

Don't laugh, but I have also used plastic cocktail stir sticks as reinforces.  Whatever it takes! 

Rewards that work well for us include alone time with a parent doing something the younger sibling can't do yet, like playing Memory or a board game, playing a computer game, playing with marbles or pop beads, helping make something in the kitchen like cookies, etc.  Rewards for especially good behavior might include a trip to the aquarium or park.  Little treats like stickers, stars, m&m's, etc. have stopped working for us too.

Mamjot--that is kind of what we are doing now...I have a chart and a whole bunch of rewards.  Example--10 stickers=1 hour at park with just mom or dad...25 stickers=trip to McDonalds with just mom or dad.  etc.  Some days he is interested and some days he's not.  But it does help.

My problem is I have now set up a picture schedule for him and some picture stories to help him be more independent as far as brushing his teeth, getting dressed, etc.  I'm looking for those little rewards I can give him when he completes his tasks.  Something different than what I am using his other reward system for...I use that for more of a good behavior--if he does something when I ask the first time like put away your shoes or put your cup in the sink, I praise him and then tell him to get a sticker...or if I see him playing nicely with his toys or siblings I praise him and tell him to get a sticker.

I didn't want to confuse him by adding all these new "demands" on him and rewarding him the same way.  Does that make sense? 

WiMom--I like the stir sticks, lol...I bet Mason would like collecting them and then sorting them and counting them...I'm going to give it a try...like you said!  Whatever it takes!!

ETA:  maybe I'm over thinking this...maybe I should use the same reinforcements...what do you all think?  It's just with Mason he gets it set in his head that this is the way something is and that is how it has to be...no ifs, ands, or buts allowed, lol.  I was worried he wouldn't like the idea of me adding new demands to get his stars, he is very sure of what behavior gets him a star.  KWIM?

emerald_52139315.4859606481yes, please suggest other things, the sugar and sweets seem to have run their course
missnippy
Honestly food has always worked best for me. Both boys have a sweet tooth. Its amazing the things I can get them to say or do when I have a frosted sugar cookie in my hand.

I have tried so many different rewards and charts and stickers and whatever. Must tell you the best thing yet is our token cup, which is our version of the marble jar used by many teachers.

It works like this: each earned token is worth 15 "media minutes" which Paul can use to purchase computer time, video time, or TV time.  He loves these things and it also gives me a bit of flexibility in its usage. perhaps someday it can be GameBoy time or whatever.

We set a timer and, more often than not, he will ask if he can "spend" another token when it beeps. I usually say yes, but only once or maybe twice.

He loves the hi-5, and a good job buddy too. The tokens are just a concrete way of seeing his progress. Spent tokens go back into the main cup and just get used over and over again.

Great way to use those poker chips that my hubby still has from way back when!! Just paired them with those colorful cups made by The First Years that have a lid. Works for his 5 and 3 yr brothers too.

Tokens can be earned for completing tasks, good school behavior and doing chores. You can tailor this to whatever needs to happen in your house.

 

And Junior Mints but they almost seem more distractng  Social reinforcers work the best here! He loves, "Hip, Hip Horaay" with a high five.

anyone have any idea for older kids. my son is 10 and sticker charts and food rewards dont work, neither does good job and praises work. Tried the rewards like time with me alone and play games or what ever, tried that is you fill up the chart you get to spend on what you like that lasted 1 week. Tried smaller reward charts of getting a day for filling up the chart didnt last 3 days. I only use the chart for normal things like teeth brushing showering, eating, changing clothes and his hardest for no whining. have tried that chart without the whining too.

 

Lisa

Lolipops.

Gold star chart (for every gold star on the chart, he gets one on his hand also)

Big bear hugs. If he does something helpful, or follows instuctions, we have this hug we do. He runs to me, I swing him up and around atleast one turn, give him a big bear hug, and say "thank you sooo much buddy!".

Promises to go outside in the sprinkler, to the playground, etc.. if he will pick up his room, let me finish a task without interrupting, etc..

Praise !!!

 


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