Altho they are more pleasurable than punishments, rewards also reinforce children's heteronomy. Children who help their parents only to earn money or who study only to get good grades are governed by others, just as children who behave well only to avoid punishments. Adults exercise power over children by using rewards and punishments, and these sanctions keep children obedient and heteronomous. If we want children to develop the morality or autonomy, we must refrain from using rewards and punishments and instead encourage children to construct moral values for themselves. It is possible for a child to think about the importance of honesty, for example, only if he or she is confronted with the fact that other people cannot trust him or her.
Autonomy enables children to make decisions for themselves.
But autonomy is not synonymous with complete freedom. Autonomy means taking relevant factors into account in determining the best course of action for all concerned. There can be no morality when one considers only one's own point of view. If one takes other people's views into account, one is not free to tell lies, to break promises, or to behavior inconsiderately. Piaget recognized that, in reality, it is impossible to avoid punishments.