Personally, we love them because they’ve given us a clear roadmap to work through some of our tougher behavior challenges. They’ve also helped us stop using in-the-moment bribes (we’ve been there!) when things felt overwhelming.

Scientifically speaking, there's a reason they work. Reward systems tap into how the brain naturally learns - when positive behavior is followed by a reward, the brain says “do that again,” which makes good habits easier to build.

The “do it because I said so” approach tells kids what to do, but it doesn’t teach them why to do it or help them want to do it again. A reward system gives them a clear, positive reason to follow through, shows them exactly what behavior is expected, and motivates them to repeat it. Over time, that builds cooperation, good habits, and confidence - not just compliance.