The command "do your chores" is a common refrain in many households--and all too often it is uttered repeatedly, exasperatedly and without results. Teaching your child to help around the house will equip him with the life skills he'll need as an adult, says Kristen Zolten and Nicholas Long of the University of Arkansas Department of Pediatrics on the Effective Parenting Center website. This task may sometimes seem like a chore, but it's not impossible.
Step 1
Clearly define responsibilities through a chore chart. Children need clear instructions on what chores they're expected to do. Don't just ask your child to help, because this will confuse him. Child Care Aware recommends making a chore chart--it delineates which chores are for which child. For toddlers and preschoolers, illustrate their jobs through drawings.
Step 2
Design chores age-appropriate. It's not reasonable to expect a toddler to do the dishes and mop the floor, for example. As children get older, they can undertake more challenging tasks, reports Zolten and Long on the Center for Effective Parenting website. Observe your child's abilities and delegate chores accordingly. For instance, teaching your toddler to pick up his toys is a realistic job.
Step 3
Integrate a reward system. Child Care Aware recommends awarding "prizes" when your child completes a chore successfully. Ideally these prizes should be intangibles such as a trip to the zoo or permission to stay at a friend's house. These rewards can be given weekly for older children. However, Child Care Aware suggests daily rewards for toddlers--whose concept of time is less clear.
Step 4
Encourage the instinct to help from an early age. According to Long of the Center for Effective Parenting, toddlers in particular have an innate impulse to help. This is a great opportunity for parents to encourage responsibility and help. When you see your toddler industriously pushing his toy vacuum cleaner or lawn mower around, encourage him to try a small real-life task.
Step 5
Develop chores that are fun. Above all, kids will respond to your efforts to make household work fun. Make up a "cleaning song" that you and the children can sing together, create a cleaning "game" or dance with fun music as you clean.
Tips and Warnings
- Demonstrate the tasks for your children. Kristen Zolten and Nicholas Long of the Center for Effective Parenting suggests showing the child how to do a chore by doing it as they watch.
- Don't assign too many chores at once. Allow your child time to master one task before adding to his responsibilities.
Things You'll Need
- A chore chart
- Cleaning supplies
