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I Want Your Opinion

My nephew is 14, and he is away at a residential program where he also attends school. Similar to a military academy, but not military.

In his last letter, he mentioned that in this program there is no positive attention or reward for good behavior, because good behavior is the accepted norm. Rather the only attention the boys receive is negative, when they make a mistake. For example, he just elected to run a 10 mile challenge and completed it, with a good time. At the finish line he was given his time, but no other input. He knew he was successful because he received no attention that morning!馃樀

Well I certainly love the idea of a land where good is the only accepted norm! I can't wait to visit! Geez.

I have spent my life working with children, and now dogs. I am constantly using positive reinforcement, and I'm programmed to ignore as much negative behavior as I can,
in the interest of not rewarding it.
This new concept is blowing my mind.

The nephew is doing great, his attitude is upbeat. What do you think of only acknowledging the negative? Does that even work?
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That is just wrong. There should be praise for doing well and encouragement to keep trying. Guidance is the thing, not being hard.
EmilyEdith56-60, F
@NightTimeWolf I hear you, but he had plenty of guidance. There were many paths cleared for him by the his family, the school district, the law... which would have been much easier and lower impact.but he defied all of it.

No one wanted to send him away, but he would have ended up in jail until he was 18 any other way UGH
Hard choice. And not right for many probably.