Many children at some point will resist doing extra work using excuses such as, “None of my friends have to do this!” , “I already have good grades!” , or “This is boring!” We have heard them all! First and foremost, remember YOU are the parent, and therefore, YOU are in charge. Do not forget it! Would you allow your child to decide whether he can have candy for dinner or if he should stay up until 3 a.m. each night? Hopefully not, and do not let Gideon be any different. Rewards can help ease the Gideon lifestyle into place. Small, immediate rewards are nice for good work and attitude, and larger, long-term ones help promote a good work ethic. When a child refuses to do work, our advice is to create an immediate penalty such as taking something away he enjoys such as TV or video game time. Gideon must come before play. Do not give empty threats. You must be willing to follow through with any penalties. Remember that ultimately, this hard work will pay off - no matter what he says!