Asking your children to help you with household chores will not only give you more time to complete other tasks, but will also teach the kids about responsibility, organization, teamwork and how to follow a project from start to finish. Organize the jobs that the children need to complete each week with detailed chore lists posted on a bulletin board or refrigerator. The guidelines will help the children accomplish each activity according to your standards.
Step 1
Create the children's chores lists on a piece of card stock or paper using a pen or a computer and printer. Output a separate list for each child or create a master list that you can refer to throughout the week to see what the children have completed and what they still need to do.
Step 2
Divide lengthy chores into individual tasks to ensure the child completes every part of the job. The article titled "Children and Chores," written by Kristen Zolten, M.A. and Nicholas Long, Ph.D. for the Center for Effective Parenting, suggests listing "make the bed," "fold clean clothes" and "put toys away" on the chore list separately instead of merely adding the single task, "clean your bedroom."
Step 3
Add short instructions and safety tips beneath each chore on the list as reminders. The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension recommends showing your child how to complete each chore safely before he tackles it for the first time. If you're teaching an older child how to clean the toilet, for example, show him the safe way to handle the cleaning chemicals and remind him to put the supplies back in the proper place so they're out of the reach of younger children.
Step 4
Provide a deadline for each chore on the list and list the "payment" for completing the job correctly and promptly if the children are performing tasks to earn spending money. You can also include the consequences of neglecting a task, such as an allowance deduction or a loss of privileges. The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension suggests a family meeting to discuss the chore rules so the children can't complain when you enforce a punishment.
Tips and Warnings
- Use chore lists as a way to help your children develop organizational skills. KidsHealth recommends teaching the children to choose a task to complete, gather the necessary tools and avoid distractions--such as phone calls, video games or television shows--until they finish the task.
- Avoid doing your child's chores for her if she doesn't complete them by the deadline. The Center for Effective Parenting stresses that completing the tasks yourself will show your children that you don't follow through with punishments and that they can slack off without repercussions. If your child doesn't finish a chore on time, make her complete it and then follow through with the consequence you agreed to when you assigned chores, such as a loss of allowance.
Things You'll Need
- Card stock or paper
- Pen
- Computer and printer
