Bribery or Parenting

Time Magazine recently released an article entitled "Should Kids Be Bribed For Good Grades".  The article highlights several pilot programs to increase grades, test scores, graduation rates or reading.  All of these programs use monetary payment as reward.  Evidently, sometimes rewards work and sometimes they don't.

A friend brought this article to my attention when she posted a link on her Facebook page.  Is it just me or do we continue to throw money at problems that money can't fix.  The problem is very simple -PARENTING and the bad thing is we don't know how to fix it.  As a society we will not even point the finger at the problem.  Instead we spend zillions of dollars attempting to implement programs to supplant parenting.  When are we going to hold parents responsible for their children.

As parents, my husband and I sometimes need a little help and encouragment.  Several years ago, I had the pleasure of hearing John Rosemond.  His talk was refreshing.  He did not talk about protecting the self esteem of the child.  Instead he promoted creating a real sense of self -respect.  Mr. Rosemond's book Parenting by the Book is a Biblically based parenting book.  It is a wonderful book to use for a Christian parenting class or Bible study.  The book is also great for a husband and wife study.  I read this book with my husband.  As parenting questions arise it is the resource we depend on most often.  The book is a great gift for new parents and baby dedications.  John Rosemand also writes a weekly syndicated column.  Mr. Rosemond's straight talk is not well received by everyone.  Many find his parenting advice harsh.  I just call it common sense parenting.