Get Your Child On Board With Chores
Does chore time at your house feel never ending? Or is it the constant pleas with your child to help with tasks around the house seem like a chore on its own? As a parent, teaching your little ones a sense of responsibility when it comes to household chores, can help them grow into self-sufficient and capable young adults. Getting them to actually complete and follow through with their chores, however, can be a challenge. In this blog, we’ll give you some helpful tips that can really take the burden and dread away from chore time, so you don’t have to do it all anymore!
Brainstorm Chore Ideas With Your Child
A great idea to help introduce chores to your child is to sit down with them and brainstorm different ideas. Ask them what chore they would feel comfortable to take on, which different skills they would like to learn, and then you can determine the best age appropriate task for them to do. Communicating with your child will help you understand what level of responsibility they are able to work at, which will help them to be less intimidated by a new task.
Create A System/Chart To Follow
A helpful tip when starting to introduce household chores to your kids, is to create a visual chart or schedule for them to look at, for them to better understand and remember the task at hand. When it’s in a visible area for them to see, it becomes a natural part of their daily routine. This also helps with organization for both you and your child. The chart allows you to see what chores need to be done, which ones are left to be completed. Getting into a routine is key!
Make It Fun
Who says that chores have to be dull and mundane? Be enthusiastic about it, so they feel the same energy you emanate. Make the chore chart fun with pictures, make it colourful and award them stickers every time they complete their chores. When they see they have earned something, it boosts their self confidence in their capabilities. It’s important as parents, that you see them follow through with their responsibilities, even without a reward. This grows their level of self-sufficiency as they grow up, and helps them understand the satisfaction of seeing the outcome of what they work for.
Making the chores into games can also amp up their enthusiasm about it. For example, doing a “5-minute cleanup”, is a way for them to focus on straightening up a given area in the 5 minute window. You can put on music, let them get their groove on, and sing along while they do it. This lightens the atmosphere, and brings in an element of enjoyment to their task.
Be Patient
Patience is key when it comes to giving your child a new task. They are still developing and growing their skills, so it is important that you stay calm with them and allow them to learn at a pace they are comfortable with. A great way to introduce chores to your child is having them help out when you’re doing chores around the house. If they offer to help out with something, let them help. An important tip to note is to make sure as a parent you don’t keep your expectations sky high.
As much as you should be confident in your child, don’t expect their little arms to reach too high or their weaker muscles to polish as well as you can. As long as they complete the task to the best of their abilities, they should get a thumbs up from you! Even though your child may want to be independent and do chores by themselves, it is important that they have the proper guidance and method of how to do the task correctly. Once they have enough practice, see how they complete their chores independently.
Break It Down For Them
For a child, nothing can be more intimidating than going into a mess or task too large for them. If they get overwhelmed, break the project down for them. For example, when it comes time to cleaning their room, start by suggesting small tasks like picking up their clothes, or putting their toys away. Starting small will help them feel comfortable and confident that they are able to complete something within their skillset. Slowly but surely, they will be able to take on more and learn to do things on their own without full-time guidance.
Character Building
Having an extra set of hands around the house is helpful to you, but it is even more beneficial to your children. There’s a stigma around housework being ‘boring’ and ‘not fun’ to children. When you have an enthusiastic mentality towards chores and other kinds of work, that energy is mirrored to your children. When they have a mindset of helping out, they are more likely to help out even when the work doesn’t concern them, since they are in a ‘let’s do our part’ mentality.
One of the most important parts of finishing a task, is praise. Praise your child for their efforts and accomplishments, no matter how big or small. When you encourage their attempts, they don’t feel discouraged to try again. Instill confidence that they will be able to accomplish something, even if it takes a few tries.
It’s important that as parents, no matter how difficult it can be, to stick with your kids and be patient. When they see your frustrated that a task isn’t done the right way, they can feel discouraged that they let you down and not feel inspired to try again.
Overall, each family will have a different routine when it comes to chore time. What’s important is that you find what works best for you, your child and your familial routine. Stick with it, and keep in mind that there is value in every chore that they do. At the end of the day, your little ones are still developing their skills and are learning new skill sets as they grow. Every task is a stepping stone in their maturity and understanding in taking responsibility. We hope that these tips will help make chore time a little easier in your home!
How NannyTax Can Help You
Now that your kids are back in school, it means packing lunches, homework and all the other things that go along with this busy time of the year. We understand how hectic your day-to-day can get, and preparing pay statements for your nanny can seem like a task you just can’t make the time for. That’s where NannyTax comes in! The great thing about what we do, is that we take care of payroll for your nanny/caregiver down to the last detail, so you can have the luxury of knowing you’re in the best hands possible. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to learn about the different pricing options and plans we offer. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Contact Us: 1.877.626.6982
(Photo courtesy of Catt Liu https://unsplash.com/photos/hQOHDAibf6A )
