An important aspect of ABA therapy, the gold standard treatment for kids with autism and other developmental delays, is the use of positive reinforcement. You can think of positive reinforcement as rewarding behaviors that you want your child to repeat and continue doing until the behavior becomes second nature, like a habit.
Positive reinforcement can be many things, including words of praise, toys and treats, and their favorite activities, such as playing a video game or watching tv. The trick is finding the positive reinforcement that motivates your child. Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes it takes trying several things or a combination of things to see what has the biggest impact on their behavior.
Try "quarter jars" as a reward
We ran across a mom blogger online with a great idea for using money as a positive reinforcement. She calls them quarter jars.
The idea is to use quarters to reward good behavior around the house. The summer months, when school’s out, is the ideal time to practice positive reinforcement with your child when it comes to all sorts of activities at home.
When your child makes their bed, for example, put a quarter in their jar. They brush their teeth or try to, put a quarter in their jar. They wait to take their turn at a game, put a quarter in their jar. The more you reinforce positive behaviors, the more likely your child will repeat those behaviors. And before you know it, they’ve learned something new.
You can set it up that at the end of every week, your child can use the quarters they’ve earned for something they want. You can make it a family outing, like getting ice cream, and something to look forward to and work toward.
Learn more about using quarter jars from the blogger herself. She provides pictures of the jars and how she keeps them top of mind for her kiddos. Try them with your family and let us know how it goes.
Our autism and ABA therapy experts are can provide you with a variety of positive reinforcement strategies, as well as parent training and fun, caring ABA therapy for your child that gives them the skills they need to reach their full potential. We think that’s priceless.