I’m hoping to include more guest posts on my blog this year. The following post was provided to me by Daniel who works on behalf of RCS Cleaning Ltd – a residential and commercial cleaning company based in Milton Keynes, UK. (You can read his tiny bio at the end of the post.) The title image was provided by him but the two inside the text are mine – of my daughter Emma “helping” me clean. I still find it a struggle to get my kids doing chores, but I take advantage of it when they’re in the mood!
If you’re interested in sharing a post for my blog, or having me write for yours, visit my Guest Posting page under the Work With Me tab.
“Yeah, Yeah! I’ll do it in a minute…”
As a parent, I know exactly how frustrating it can be trying to get your kids to complete their household chores. Of course – to them the ending of their favourite cartoon or TV show is far more important and leaving before it has finished can result in grave consequences…
There are many things that we can do as parents to encourage our kids to help out with chores and domestic tasks. Not only does it help you keep your home tidy, but it makes sure that they are not glued to unrealistic video games and getting into trouble.
So the next time you are struggling to get your kids involved in the housework, consider these 6 simple ways to get your kids doing chores.
All Stop or No Play
As a parent being told that I wouldn’t be allowed to have a single relaxing beer (for dads) or glass of wine (for moms) during an evening whilst resting would be annoying.
Appealing to your kids self-interests is a great way to motivate them and get them completing their chores. If they constantly refrain from completing them play a stop card (not physical, just an expression).
Sit your children down and discuss what is happening. Ask them why they don’t want to do chores and understand their motives. Use their interests to motivate them. For example if your son refuses to complete his chores, tell him that he can’t go to soccer practice until they are finished.
It’s Time for a Challenge
A great way to boost motivation in children when they are completing chores is to introduce a challenge system.
Timing them on how long it takes to complete set tasks is a great way for them to get motivated for the next time around. Of course this only works with specific chores such as vacuuming or dishes but it remains to be very effective.
Allowances and Financial Reward
If you can afford it – providing your children with an allowance is well worth doing and justified.
However, an allowance should only be paid out once all of their chores are completed for the week or day – depending on how you would like to structure your on chore systems.
Being financially rewarded for hard work will not only motivate your kids but teach them a great life lesson. When they eventually move out and start their own careers, they need to know that hard work will result in benefits.
Have a System
Creating a chore system is an easy way to monitor your kid’s performance and make use of their time.
Decide on what time of day chores need to be completed. Whether that be first thing in the mornings or in the evenings is entirely up to you. Just remember, during the term time you will be competing with homework and studies so it is important to get it right.
Evening chores is a good option because it will reduce the amount of stress and anxiety associated with a school rush. Remind your children that chores need to be completed before any TV shows or video games.
Chores Are Not Punishments
Don’t use a chore as a form of punishment. Simple.
If you start to punish your children for misbehaviour by allocating chores, they will never be motivated to complete them in the future. If you do proceed down the “Chores is Punishment” route – every time your kids complete a chore that is scheduled they will assume that they are in trouble or have done something wrong.
Instead, only use traditional methods of punishment when it is necessary.
Reward Responsibility
As we mentioned earlier, having a system in place can make chore management a lot easier.
It is well worth creating a chart or monitoring system to see how well your kids are doing. Create a checklist system and add a check for every task that they complete without being prompted.
When your kids have reached a target on the board – provide them with a reward (but not financial). Allow them to have some more time playing their favourite video game or stay up a little later.
Author Bio
This guest post, 6 Simple Ways To Get Your Kids Doing Chores, was written by Daniel Horne, Director and contributor for Cleaners in Milton Keynes. He provides advice for those associated with the cleaning and domestic industries.
Do you have tips to get your kids tidying up and doing chores? We do allowance here and it works, sometimes. I also toss out the “If you don’t clean this mess up everything on the floor is going in the garbage!” once in a while. I don’t have any tried and true methods, different things work in our home on different days. So share what helps you motivate your kids to do housework, please!!
6 Comments
Hi Jess and Daniel, if approached properly and consistently getting children to help with the chores needn’t be on a par with a WW. Appealing to their better nature and explaining that we all have our bit to do are great ways of encouraging them. Like you mentioned helping out with chores shouldn’t be a punishment as that would only result in the child feeling bad. Preventing a child from doing what they want to do until the chore is completed is usually an excellent way of getting them focused on what they have to do… And never waste breath arguing with the child, we all have our chores to do and that’s how it is.
Thank you for linking up with the #MMBC.
xx
I totally agree Deb! Chores are a part of live, and we all have to chip in to get them done. I’m finding they are more likely to do the chores if we ask them to do them consistently. Dishes every day, not just on certain days, or days where there are extra dishes – that sort of thing. Thanks for the comment!
~Jess
Fab tips! I think it’s good to get the little ones involved with chores, it gives them independence. My 6 year old is pretty good at helping out. I’ve normally got the music playing when I tidy up, so it makes it fun for him to have a boogie whilst tidying his toys up 🙂
Thanks for linking up to #MMBC. See you Monday xx
I love dancing while I do chores. I’m trying hard to instil this in my kids as well! Thanks for the comment Jayne!
~Jess
Really sensible advice – we use some of these with our two and they don’t mind helping most times. The only problem I have is when they are given homework from school (which I’d prefer they didn’t get), I often don’t ask them to help as they would get very little play time in the evening before bath and bed…
Homework always eats up so much evening time! We struggle with that as well. Some days the girls skip chores to do schoolwork. Other days we can fit in both. It’s a fluid system here. Thanks for the comment!
~Jess