Episode 115: The Rewards and Punishment Paradox with Alfie Kohn

The data tells us rewarding kids for good behavior and punishing them for bad doesn’t work. In fact, it harms relationships. In the education setting and at home, Alfie Kohn says we need to rethink the way we talk to kids, and how we help them learn behavioral skills, because rewards and punishment are ineffective. Emily Kircher-Morris has a conversation with Alfie Kohn, author of Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishment to Love and Reason, on episode 115.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Alfie Kohn is the author of 14 books on education, parenting, and human behavior, including PUNISHED BY REWARDS (1993), THE SCHOOLS OUR CHILDREN DESERVE (1999), UNCONDITIONAL PARENTING (2005), and THE MYTH OF THE SPOILED CHILD (2014). He has appeared twice on “Oprah,” as well as on “The Today Show” and many other TV and radio programs. Kohn works with educators and parents across the country and speaks regularly at national conferences. He lives (actually) in the Boston area and (virtually) at www.alfiekohn.org.