Rewards can help children understand effort, choices, saving, and follow-through.

Problems can begin when every family action is treated as something that must be paid.

A healthy reward setup makes room for both:

• Normal family contribution
• Chores that earn S’mores

Explain the Difference

Try:

Everyone helps because we are part of the family. Some chores also earn S’mores because they are new, difficult, optional, or connected to a money skill.

This makes the family rule clear.

Choose Chores That Earn

Good reward candidates may include:

• A new responsibility
• A difficult weekly chore
• Optional extra work
• A larger project
• A skill the child is practicing
• Work beyond normal expectations

Simple daily contribution may not need S’mores every time.

Set the Value Before the Work

Agree on the S’mores amount before the chore begins.

Avoid changing the reward during an argument.

A stable value helps the child understand the system.

Consider:

• Time
• Effort
• Difficulty
• Frequency
• Age and readiness
• Whether the task is optional
• Whether several people split the value

Keep Rewards Reachable

A child should be able to reach at least some rewards with steady effort.

If every reward costs too much:

• The child may stop saving
• S’mores may feel meaningless
• The system may create frustration

Use a mix of:

• Small rewards
• Medium goals
• Larger rewards
• Non-money choices

Use the Wallet to Teach Choices

On Free, earned S’mores go into Spend.

With the appropriate Premium Wallet allocation setup, families may divide earnings into Spend, Save, and Goal.

Use the Wallet conversation to ask:

• Do you want to use this now?
• Do you want to save?
• What goal matters to you?
• What happens if you spend everything today?

The app supports the lesson. The family still teaches it.

Use Reward Approval Where Needed

Premium Reward Approval can help with rewards that affect:

• Money
• Screen time
• Family schedule
• A large purchase
• A parent’s time

Approval should not become a surprise after the child has saved enough.

Explain the rule when the reward is created.

Use Selected Days and Counts Carefully

Premium reward controls can help families manage availability.

Examples:

• Movie choice available on Saturday
• One dessert choice per week
• Two late-bedtime passes per month

Selected-day availability uses weekdays, not hours.

Reward Count and Auto Refill should be easy for the child to understand.

Honor Approved Rewards

If the child follows the rules and a reward is approved, the family should follow through.

Repeatedly changing the agreement can damage trust.

If a reward is no longer possible:

1. Explain why.
2. Offer a fair replacement.
3. Update the Reward Shelf.
4. Avoid leaving an unusable reward visible.

Do Not Use S’mores as a Threat

Avoid:

I will take all your S’mores if you do not listen.

Use a Penalty only when the family has a clear, agreed rule.

A missed chore already has its own result:

• No completion
• Possible streak effect
• Possible Late Penalty
• Possible Lock

Do not stack consequences without a clear reason.

Review the System Together

Ask:

• Are rewards still interesting?
• Are costs fair?
• Are normal expectations clear?
• Is one child earning much faster?
• Are approved rewards being honored?
• Is the system teaching a useful choice?

Adjust the setup as the child grows.

Family Example

A child earns S’mores for:

• Completing weekly laundry
• Claiming an optional Bonus chore

They do not earn S’mores for:

• Putting a plate in the sink
• Speaking kindly
• Basic personal care

The Reward Shelf includes:

• Pick family movie
• Choose Friday dinner
• Save toward a larger item

The child sees that not every good action is a transaction.

Common Questions

Should children be paid for every chore?

No.

Can S’mores teach saving?

Yes, with family guidance.

Should a parent ever reject a reward request?

Yes, when Approval is part of the known rule.

What if a reward is no longer available?

Remove or replace it fairly.

Try This First

Review the Reward Shelf and remove one reward the family cannot reliably provide.

Then explain which chores are family contributions and which ones earn S’mores.

Related Articles

• How Many S’mores Should a Chore Be Worth?
• How the Reward Shelf Works
• How Premium Reward Availability and Limits Work
• How to Motivate Kids Without Paying for Everything