Consistent reinforcement is often dependent on the child or disabled person not attaining the reinforcer when he has not met your goal or targeted appropriate behavior. If he is able to steal or grab the item without permission it is impossible for the parent or teacher to be consisent in reinforcing only appropriate behavior displayed. Some places or methods you might use to secure your reinforcers are included in the following.
1. Place items that are reinforcers such as electronic devices or edibles such as cookies high enough so the child or person you are motivating cannot reach it (ex. on a high shelf in the kitchen) until the appropriate behavior targeted is disabled.
2. Wait until the child goes to sleep and then remove the item earned the previous day and place it in a place the child is not aware of. 
3.  Place items such as cookies, chips, gummy bears that are not easily perishable in a car or trunck of a car. You can use a cooler if needed. Then lock the car after you get out so that the person (ex. child) cannot attain the items without you opening the car trunk. 
4.  Have you items in a token store which is a cabinet or a closet with shelves and a lock on the closet or cabinet so unauthorized access can not be attained until the target behavior has been achieved.
5.  If you are working with a child directly and holding the reinforcers store them in your pocket in a package or plastic bag or wear a pouch with a pocket to store the reinforcers more securely then just placing them on the table you are sitting at with the child. 
6.  You can use coupons for activities which is more secure or token chips to exhange later! 
The above methods will assist you to ensure less conflict over when he has earned the reinforcers and more consistant reinforcement which result in higher rates and speed in learning for your child!

Parents often do not realize that some grades are more important then other grades during their childs' childhood. It should be noted that few colleges look at grades in nursery school or grade school. The colleges are primarily focused on grades in high school. They rarely request a transcript from grade school. Therefore, the focus during the early years of school should really be more on learning and less only on grades.  The knowledge your child attains during the early years will also assist him life in many areas. Knowledge helps your child in his daily life as an adult as well as in getting into  college.  Also, knowledge can help to perform well on standardized entrance test such as the ACT or SAT. These standardized tests are often required for application to college and there are cut-offs for those eligible to be admitted and scholarships based on these tests. 

Parents that do the homework for their child in these early years are not really helping them.  Parents should be more of a coach to encourage or answer questions on how to find the information to complete the homework.  Even if your child does not have homework on a given night it is important and helpful for the child's future to encouraged him to read or do some academic task. Parents might ask the child  for at least an hour after school or dinner on days there is no homework assigned.  Parents should keep the goals for your child in perspective as he is growing up. If you loose focus of learning during the early years, especially, you may end up with a child that had good grades but sadly cannot read! A reward program is especially helpful for encouraging your child to read or do homework on a daily basis. The short term gratification of your child getting good grades may not mean anything in the long term for his happiness as an adult and his hopes for going to college or other professions. 

Planning a birthday party for a child it is important to analyze your child and decide what his/her reinforcers are. If you spend money on something that is not reinforcing the party may end in tears!  Some children enjoy social attention, some enjoy tangible objects and some enjoy sensory stimulation.


Attention focused partiesIf your child enjoys attention the focus of the party might be on the child and giving him/her attention. For example, games that focus on the child, songs that focus on the birthday child, favorite foods the child likes.  Finally, if a child likes attention a smaller number of guests might be considered so that it is easier focus on the birthday child. If there are alot of children the attention might be diverted to other kids more easily. 

Tangible reinforcers- If your child enjoys tangible reinforcers then the most important things are the actual objects such as gifts, food or activities that he/she likes.  Make sure these items are visible and remind the child that they will be opened or available during the party!  
Sensory reinforcement- If your child likes sensory reinforcement then focus on the sounds perhaps nice music will lead to a more enjoyable experience for the child. Frequently hugging or patting him/her on the back will be crucial if that is what they enjoy. Also, gifts should be geared towards sensory experience of sound or vibration or other tactile stimulation. 


Finally, these reinforcing items should be available contingent on good behavior otherwise the child might spend the whole party playing a computer game and miss the other activities. The other advantage of knowing what types of things are reinforcing to your child is that inappropriate behavior such as crying or tantrums can be avoided by providing items or activities they really enjoy after the child has shown the enthusiasm and smiles and appropriate behavior you want for them at their birthday party. If the party is enjoyable they will have happy memories in the future of their birthday parties and you!