Why behavior charts are bad?

A behavior or reward chart that has become popular and used by not only parents but teachers and daycare providers as well.  A behavior chart is a visual aid to assist, teach and reinforce appropriate, positive, and healthy behavior for children.  Children are rewarded for making appropriate and healthy decisions or for making progress in learning a new skill.  Behavior charts can also be used as a form of punishment for breaking rules or not completing something, however, the more common use of behavior charts is to reward behavior.  Behavior charts are typically used for school-aged children.

Behavior charts can work well with children or students who are well-behaved and do well with socializing with others.  However, behavior charts can also have a negative impact on children and students as well and can be viewed as bad, ineffective, or traumatizing.  If a child or student already has a history of trauma, behavior charts can reinforce the trauma or make it worse.

Behavior charts can shame a child or a student and embarrass them in front of others.  This can be either in a classroom in front of other students or in front of other family members.  Long term this could traumatize a child.  Behavior charts can also impact a child’s self-esteem, the way they view themselves, and what they think of themselves.

Behavior charts can also teach a child or student how to act externally but they do not teach empathy or internal change.  The change that is reinforced to the child or student is external.  Shaming a child or student into behaving appropriately is typically not helpful, it can increase stress and embarrassment, causing that child to possibly isolate and then engage in other unhealthy or inappropriate behaviors.

Behavior charts do not teach a child or student why behavior is inappropriate or unhealthy.  It does not teach empathy, the impact of a child’s behavior on others, or explain which behavior should be engaged in instead.

Lastly, children and students do not always value or see the importance of behavior charts.  Each child is unique and their own person so a behavior chart which can be a one approach fits all does not work.