Kids are never thrilled when you ask them to clean their rooms or throw out the trash. Well, in reality, no one enjoys cleaning, but we all have to do it. That is why it is necessary to get kids to participate in doing household chores!
We have to be honest; there are very few things as boring as chores. That said it is logical that we prefer doing anything else. Maybe sometimes, we even invent more pressing matters that will give us the excuse to procrastinate with all these cleaning tasks. But sooner or later, they creep upon us, and we have to take care of them! We don’t want a sink full of dishes, nor packed trash bins, now, do we?
If we are not happy to do these tasks we can only imagine how unhappy they make our kids. But, we should encourage kids to do chores even though we all think they are the dullest things we can imagine. First, that way we will get them to help us. Second and more important, this is important for their psychological development according to experts from homemaker guide. Children who are doing chores develop a greater sense of responsibility, self-reliance, and accountability. They grow up to be more autonomous adults. Finally, studies show that a work ethic that they develop by doing household tasks helps them significantly in the academic work
But as we know getting children to assume responsibilities at home isn’t as easy it may seem. We expect somehow that they will join us when they see that we do things around the house. However, despite our wishes, the request to participate in home cleaning and maintenance tasks is more often than not met with some resistance. It is necessary to know, that although challenging, it is not impossible to get kids more engaged in organizing and sticking with a cleaning to-do list.
These five tips will help you understand better how to motivate your kids to do their share of household chores.
Motivate Your Kids to Engage in House Cleaning Tasks
Define Specific Chores
What does it mean? Well, like most parents, you are probably sure that you want that your kids do their part of cleaning. But talking about cleaning –where to start? Some people wish that their kids start by organizing and tidying up their bedrooms and nothing else. Others, however, believe that kids should take washing dishes, setting the table, etc., apart from just taking care of their space. Thus this is something that you need to define specifically. What skills do you want the child to develop by doing chores? Should the kid do things that are meaningful for the entire family or just him/her? Why? Once you think about all of these things, you can create a cleaning checklist with everyone’s names.
Do Things Together
We have two points here. First, kids cannot know how something is done if you don’t show them. Hence after you explained why cleaning is important, show them how to use a vacuum cleaner and a mop. Also, tell them which cleaning products they can use for washing dishes and which for cleaning floors. Second, children will find it more fun if you organize and participate together in these activities. It will give them the sensation that you are treating them as friends and they will feel more responsible to do all these tasks. For example, you can wash the dishes, and the kid can dry them with a cloth and arrange them on the rack. It is even better if you play the music you all like and make a chores dance party! That way everyone will be under the impression of doing something fun instead of super tedious household chores.
Set a Time Limit
Look, we have all been in a situation when we have to ask the kids five times to come down and set the table or throw the garbage and pick up the things. You know, we had our son asking us “what cleaning products do I need to clean my desk” every 15 minutes. He pretended to keep forgetting what he needs just to have an excuse not to do it. We think that after you give them the instructions and everything they need, you have to set a time limit. You can say, “Okay, the room needs to be done in 30 minutes”! If they don’t do it, then you should set their bedtime earlier. You can also limit the time they will spend using electronic gadgets. The next day you can say, “Let’s see if you can do it in 30 minutes this time! But be sure, I will check! If you do it within half an hour, you can stay longer online!”
Allowance Can Be Your Leverage
We believe that if it is possible parents should give allowance to the kids. However, as it is equally necessary that kids learn the importance of money, we think that you should give just like that. Instead, try to link the allowance with chores. That will make them understand that in real life, you earn things, instead of just getting them. It can also give them a clearer picture of what you mean when you say, “I’m telling you about the importance of cleaning for you, not for me”! If you tell to a kid three times to do a chore and he still doesn’t do it, take away part of his allowance. Besides, you can give that part of an allowance to another sibling who did the chore instead.
Don’t Use Chores as Punishment
Never use chores as a form of punishment or consequence. That will make things only worse, not just when it comes to cleaning, but in terms of responsibility in general. You want the kid to grow up knowing she or he needs to assume responsibilities no matter what. The only time you can use chores, like cleaning without chemicals or cleaning with vinegar, as a consequence, is when the kid does something wrong to their sibling. To make amends, they will have to do the chore that was originally assigned to another sibling. That is a physical way of showing that they understood they did something wrong and are sorry for it.
Final Word
Getting your kids to participate in cleaning tasks can become a battle if you let it. If you are continually asking your kids to wash the dishes, tidy up their bedroom, mow the lawn, and they keep ignoring you, then you have a problem. But your job as a parent is to put an end to this behavior. As we mentioned, earlier, the whole family benefits when kids take part in doing chores. Mostly, though, it is for them. That is why it is essential to implement these tips and get them engaged. How do you get your kids to help with chores?
BY TECHIE MAMMA