Appreciation of a job well done is definitely essential for kids! Praise and applause is a big motivator for them, for sure.

I love that idea of adding a new chore on each birthday. It’s a great way to commemorate that growing older comes with more responsibility without making it a big deal.

I think natural consequences are so important, too. I have one son who has cooked on the same night every week for the last four years and I’ve stopped reminding him to figure out his dinner plan and get meat out to thaw ahead of time. It only took once or twice of having to pay for a rather expensive fast food dinner (to feed five people) because he forgot to start remembering on his own.