Daily Tips for Families

Today's Tip for Families

05-17-2022

Make Doing Chores a Positive Experience

Doing chores helps children develop responsibility they can apply to schoolwork. But how do you get your child to want to do chores?

Remember that elementary-age children love to plan and carry out their plans. So first, involve your child in brainstorming what needs to be done and when. Then, make it a point to:

Be a good model. Happily do chores yourself. Acknowledge your satisfaction when you finish a chore.
Offer a choice of chores. Let your child choose two or three from a longer list. Elementary schoolers should be able to do tasks such as taking out the trash, vacuuming, folding laundry, feeding a pet and helping with yard work.
Rotate chores each week, so no one feels stuck doing a disliked chore. Put chores on slips of paper in a bowl, and have family members draw one from the bowl.
Make a game of it. Race to put things away. Or set a timer and see if your child can "beat the clock."
Use a chore chart. Place a star on it when chores are finished.
Schedule a "work time" when everyone is doing a job.
Curb criticism. Don't immediately say what your child did wrong. Gently ask what your student would do to improve the work next time.
Be encouraging. Say, "Here's the broom so you can help! You can do it. Let's do this together."
Follow chores with fun. Have a basket of index cards listing fun activities to do after chores.

Brought to you by:

Bryan High School

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