'Why I'm paying my son to do well in his GCSEs'
Watch: Mum explains why she's paying her son to do well in his GCSEs
A mum has explained her reasons for paying her son to do well in his GCSE exams - with £100 up for grabs for every grade nine achieved.
Lynn Beattie, 47, a personal finance expert from Knebworth, Hertfordshire initially heard of the idea over 30 years ago when she was just 16 and discovered her friends were being offered rewards for their rewards.
Having asked her parents to offer a similar incentive, who refused, Lynn vowed that if she ever had children of her own she would provide an exam bonus scheme.
Her 16-year-old son is currently in the middle of his exams and his mum has told him for every grade 3 (D/E to U) or below he will get £0.
A grade 4 (C/D) will net him £10, a grade 5 (C) £25, grade 6 (B) £40, grade 7 (A) £50, grade 8 (A*) £75 and grade 9 (A**) £100.
Based on his predicted grades, she estimates she'll be paying her son around £500 to £600 for his 10 results.
Lynn's unusual strategy has sparked debate amongst other parents with some in favour of the decision to rewards results and others believing it is the effort that should be incentivised.
But the mum-of-three Lynn has outlined the reasons behind her plan, explaining that it "prepares him for adult life".
"It's really polarised people's views - some think it's a great idea, others are really against it," Lynn says of the debate.
"In my experience, when I've worked hard, I've been paid well. I think it's a precedent for adult life."
Lynn says if her son wasn't academically achieving then she would probably do something different.
"My children are all very different so I may come up with different strategies for my other kids," she explains.
"My middle child isn't as academic whereas my youngest is very academic.
"As parents we know our children best and can therefore decide on the appropriate award strategy."
With the money her son could receive, Lynn is encouraging him to use some to fund his summer plans while also putting some aside to save.
"He's just about to have three months off school," she explains.
"I'd like him to get a job but he doesn't want to at the moment.
"So I sort of see it as him needing that money for the summer.
"I'm going to encourage him to save some of it as well as it'd be a great exercise in budgeting."
Lynn initially posted her reward proposal on her finance Instagram page - Mrsmummypennyuk - with many parents offering their thoughts on the idea.
Some thought effort not results should be rewarded, while others believed the system would teach pupuls to expect "tangible rewards for hard work - not always representative of the real working world."
"I feel rewarding for the time spent studying/revising would be better....less pressure, less shame," another user wrote. "Reward for effort over achievement always."
Other parents thought the scheme was a good idea.
"My mum wasn’t well off but did something for me when I was in school," one user wrote. "Gave me that extra push to do my best, partly for money but also to make her proud."
Another posted: "This is literally exactly what my parent's rules were for me and my sister except if you get below a 7 you don’t get any money. Everyone I tell thinks it’s absurd but I think it’s just good motivation."
While Lynn agrees effort should be rewarded she believes that can be hard to measure.
"Does any parent know how much revision their children are putting in? I would argue not," she explains.
"I know my son is putting in a lot of effort and he cares and wants those good results"
Others questioned Lynn's decision to use money to motivate.
"Money has always motivated me and my children are a product of me so I know they are motivated by it too," she responds.
"There are many jobs where you work hard that you don't get rewarded but I think if you were the most amazing nurse in the world for example, you'd work your way up the scale and earn more and more money - is that not point proven?
"We have to face the realities of adult life and that we need money to survive."
Additional reporting SWNS.
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