When parents work full-time jobs while also raising children, it’s totally normal to ask your children to help out with chores and the like. You’re probably exhausted and you can’t be expected to handle everything around the house on your own, especially not when you have kids who can help out here and there. But getting your kids to do their chores isn’t usually a simple feat. How can we convince them to do something that doesn’t involve playing or watching TV? Here are a few tips to help you out.
Utilize a Reward System
Rewarding kids for their chores can help them take responsibility for their actions. For instance, put a chart on the refrigerator that says each child’s name and the tasks that they should complete, with a checkmark beside their name. If they make their bed right, they get a checkmark, and if they get five, they get a reward. The rewards can be whatever you feel comfortable with. The obvious choice is to give them some sort of allowance. But it can also be letting them stay up a little later, or getting more screen time one night. Be creative with your reward system and your kids will be more likely to help out.
Don’t Use Chores As A Punishment
If your child does something wrong, don’t use chores as a punishment. Instead, emphasize the importance of doing the right thing and teach them that chores are expected to be done regardless of their actions. If you were to begin handing out chores such as vacuuming or doing the dishes when your kids misbehave, they’ll begin to associate them and other forms of work as a punishment, which is the last thing you want.
Cut Distractions
If you’re struggling to get your kids away from the TV so they can do their chores, get rid of the TV. While you don’t have to actually get rid of it, it can be smart to turn it off or unplug it, in order to force them off of the TV. With where technology is today, you might even be able to play around with parental control options where maybe the TV or other electronics can’t be used during certain times, or they need a password entered upon startup in order to actually use.
Create A Structure
Kids often love structure in their lives. Perhaps you can set out a weekly schedule that shows your child what chores they’ll be performing that week. You can use this to switch things up so they don’t get bored of doing the same chore endlessly, or if you have multiple children this can be how you split chores up evenly between them all. Regardless, by adding a structure to chores, you’re more likely to get your kids used to do them every week.