Negative reinforcement is a learning method that reinforces desired behaviors by removing unpleasant stimuli. It involves taking away something unpleasant in response to a stimulus. With time, children learn that when they engage in “good” behaviors, then this unpleasant thing or experience goes away. For example, if a child doesn’t want to do their homework, and their parent scolds them, the child may learn that completing their homework will make the nagging stop. Other examples of negative reinforcement with children include removing chores for the weekend when a child keeps their room clean all week, lifting a grounding period when a child works on their homework, a sibling stopping their loud crying when a child stops arguing with them. However, if used incorrectly, it may unintentionally reinforce misbehavior, such as when a child throws a tantrum and the parent removes the offending trigger, teaching the child that tantrums can lead to the removal of unpleasant experiences.