DS did his math homework after school and kept trying to negotiate the number of problems he would have to do in one sitting. However, he stayed at the table and didn't make a huge fuss, so I praised him for being cooperative. First thing out of his mouth when I said that: "So does that mean I earned screen time?" I hear you on the Minecraft orgy. DS would play Minecraft or other similar games literally all day/every day if I let him. It makes me want to throw the computer out but then I would have nothing to motivate him and no reward to offer for actually doing work. I make him "earn" screen time, he doesn't get it for free. It's really the only thing that works with him. So if he reads a half hour, he can earn a half hour of screen time. If he does a household chore, same thing. He reads now, just for fun and doesn't do it anymore just to earn screen time. So with certain things, I think once it gets easier or they discover there is actual enjoyment involved in it, they don't need the external rewards anymore. He's 7 years old, though. I don't know about a 13 year old and what works with that age.
