How to Get Your Kids to Pitch In at Home

Every parent wants help with the household chores, but it’s not always easy to get kids to pitch in at home. The following are a few simple strategies from MotorWorld | MileOne Autogroup that you can try when teaching your kids to help out around the house.

1. Start when your kids are young.

There is no magic age when kids are old enough to help out around the house. Start teaching your kids to clean up after themselves and pitch in with household chores as soon as they are able. Even toddlers can learn to put their toys away, carry their dirty dishes to you at the sink, and “help” you put small grocery items away after shopping.

2. Use a reward chart to track your kids’ chores.

A simple reward chart that lists your kids’ chores can be used to track their progress. You can add a sticker or stamp to the chart each time they complete a chore, and offer a special reward at the end of each successful week.

3. Focus on effort before improving technique.

If you want your kids to feel good about helping around the house, don’t criticize their efforts. They may not fold their clothes perfectly, but praise them for folding them at all. As your kids get older and become more capable, you can suggest ways to improve their technique.

4. Plan on a shared family chore time.

Let your kids see you doing chores. If you do most of the housework while they are at school or playing with friends, they may take what you do for granted. Plan a family chore time and do some of your own housework while your kids are doing their chores.

5. Put regular chores ahead of playtime.

You don’t want to treat chores as a punishment, but you can teach your kids the benefits of finishing chores promptly. By putting chores first, you also show your kids that dragging their feet will only cut into their own playtime. Just be sure to have a quick inspection so you know they they are not cutting corners to finish quickly.

6. Teach your kids to clean up as they go.

Making your kids responsible for cleaning up after themselves opens the door for learning other life lessons. If your kids resist cleaning up after themselves as they go, let them leave everything to the end of the week. When they see how much longer it takes to clean up, kids will start to see how much easier it is to tackle the work in small pieces each day.