Rather than spend most of your energy bribing your children do a few jobs around the house, which you no doubt end up doing yourself, here are five ways to make it easier.
Don’t call them chores
The very word 'chore' can set children off, so give it a whole new name instead. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy: family jobs, goals or things to do sound a lot better.
What can they do
Don’t give your child jobs that are too hard as they will struggle to complete them, making both of you annoyed and frustrated. Big kids are well able to keep their room tidy, put clothes away, vacuum, and dust. These are all simple tasks that won’t take long to do and will teach your child so much more than if you simply did it for them.
Make a chart of jobs
Make a chart showing what each family member needs to do. This way your youngster won’t feel like they are the only ones doing work and will understand that it is a family effort. Stick it up in a location that will be seen every day, the kitchen usually works well, so that everyone knows what they have to do and when. This way all you need to do is gently remind them of their jobs rather than setting out what they need to do every single day.
Give them a goal to work towards
There is nothing quite like giving your child a goal to work towards to really motivate them. So for each job that they complete, give them a star or a tick with the aim of getting enough for a special reward – a trip to the park or the cinema.
Don’t use chores as a punishment
Don’t use chores as a form of punishment – your kids will just associate them with negative actions. If your child does something wrong don’t tell them they need to do extra chores – that's not what they are for.
