Provision of Hope believes in motivating good behavior.
Since July 2024 we have been giving out rewards to well-behaved children in our homes with a special initiative called “The Award of the Month.”
These are some of the attributes the parents look for in the child who wins the Award of the Month:
One who listens well to their parents.
One who helps in the home.
One who gets along well with their siblings.
One who has good manners, such as saying “please”, “thank you”, and excuse me”
One who participates in family devotions and arrives on time.
One who is focused on their school work.
When a child or youth earns the Award of the Month receive $10 to spend as they wish.
This money is significant to the children in our homes, and it is surprising what they can buy with it!
We believe rewards are an effective way to encourage positive behavior in children. By providing incentives, we can motivate them to develop new, positive habits while reinforcing the good behaviors they already exhibit. They help our children to focus on positive character.
Research continues to show that positive reinforcement is far more effective than negative
reinforcement. Recognizing and rewarding positive behavior, or moving in a positive direction, has a far more powerful impact than punishment. We see this proven every day in our homes.
For years, we have been teaching CHARACTER FIRST LESSONS from CharacterFirstEd.com
Lesson Subjects include Honesty, Gratefulness, Kindness, Respect, Forgiveness, Self-Control, Punctuality, Obedience and Attentiveness.
Children with the Character First Module
Here is a sample lesson on Honesty:
Honesty is “being truthful in what I say and do.” Honesty is more than just accurately reporting facts. It includes what you say, and it also includes what you don’t say! For example, if your
mom asks, “Did you eat the cookies?” you could accurately say “no” if you just ate one cookie.
But that would be deceitful.
Honesty also includes your actions. For example, cheating on a test is pretending you know the
answers when you really don’t. Or to steal candy from a store is to act like you paid for it when
you really didn’t. Honesty means saying and doing what is true, not false.
I WILL:
1. Tell the truth.
2. Play by the rules.
3. Not exaggerate the facts.
4. Admit when I am wrong.
5. Not take things that don’t belong to me.
DISCUSSION STARTERS:
1. How do you feel when someone lies to you?
2. How can telling one lie lead to more lies? How can this cause problems?
3. If someone lies or makes a mistake, what does that person need to do to make it right?
4. When is it tempting to cheat or lie about something?
Lessons like this equip children with essential moral values, encouraging them to think deeply about their choices and understand the consequences of their actions. By reflecting on these principles, children grow in integrity and learn how honesty builds trust and respect.
