Do you use reward charts at home? Are you looking to start using one and need some ideas for getting started? Victoria Ballard, founder of The Victoria Chart Company shares with us some tips for parents who are want to get started, as says that "parents involvement is just as important as the child’s when it comes to using the chart." Here are some suggestions for getting started:

1) Timing - don’t start a chart if in a few days time your routine is going to be interrupted.

2) Visitor participation - let close family and friends know of your intentions in advance of them visiting, encourage them to be positive about it.

3) Involve your child from the start - open the chart with your child to help them to understand the importance of what you are going to concentrate on and how over time their chart will show fabulous rewards.

4) Keep up the routine - placing the chart in a central, easy-to-view place in your home will help remind you to use it as well as keep your child interested. Working to an end goal or final reward will help too. Repetition using the chart will help a child understand what is expected of them and children find great comfort from structure and routine.

5) Focus on the positives - providing a child with the appropriate reward and verbal praise will help your child feel good about themselves and build their self esteem. We do not recommend that a reward is taken away if a child has not achieved

Victoria says "Preparing for and giving this amount of dedication to using a reward chart is what will bring those great results. It will provide great adult and child togetherness and over time your child will want to repeat their positive actions. It is this familiarization that will help make your efforts worth it and you will feel proud of your childs development."

The Victoria Company offers reward charts, sleep charts, vacation journals and meal planners (use coupon code VCHART15 to get 15% off any order).