Getting Your Children To Do Chores

Is it just me or does every kid complain about having to do chores? Its like every kid is born with an anti-work gene. So how do you get the kids to do the work that they should be doing anyway? Can you yell and scream until they do it? How do you get them to do those things and want to do them without complaining?

They have to want to do the work; they have to take ownership in what they are doing. When they are young it doesn't matter if it is done exactly right, as long as they try and make an effort. As they get older, it becomes more and more important for the work to be done right. It doesn't count if you do something and then have to do it over again because you didn't put your full effort into it.

It is difficult for a child to understand the difference between doing something and doing something right. The concept of doing something right the first time or not doing it at all, is overwhelming to them, and many time makes them not want to attack the task at all. You need to start off small, with chores that they can accomplish and them bring in the more complicated tasks little by little.

Everybody in the family has to help out with jobs and tasks and that means getting everybody in the family to help in the process. Helping each other out is what family is all about, if you cant count on each other, it is hard to build that trust with anyone else.

You also want to make sure that the chore are appropriately given to each child, based on age. Your ten year old may be in charge of taking out the garbage, but this is to much of a task for your five or three year old. Instead assign the five year the task of feeding the dog and dusting the tables, while the three year old has to pick up the toys and put them in the toy bins.

Then come the rewards! Although many believe the feeling of a job well done and the accomplishment made by completing a task should be enough, this is not the fact with kids. The older a child gets, their allowance should become a direct proportion to the work that they complete throughout the week. Younger children, don't need money and will be just as happy with your smiling face and encouraging words, however a small amount of money (even a quarter) will make their day that much brighter. But no matter what, saying good jog and thanks for the help is enough to make it all worthwhile