How to get your children to do household chores

How to get your children to do household chores

In today’s world, we see that parents are not able to get their children to do household chores. Most of the time when we enter the house, we see discarded toys, clothes thrown, books scattered etc. It is easy to just simply turn a blind eye and do it yourself. Most parents follow this routine, but it may not be the best thing to do in your child’s interest.


It is very important not to fall in this parental trap but set some boundaries and teach your children to do their jobs, early in life. Apart from the extra parental work, it will also not be good for your children in the long run.

Encouraging children to help out, teaches them about teamwork and responsibility. Modern research indicates that, the more children are involved in the family chores, the less stressful and nagging they become. Now that’s an excellent benefit.

Let us look at some of the ways of getting your children do the household chores.

Always start your children young.

When children are young they will listen very easily. They will find it a privilege to be their dad’s or mom’s helper. But as years pass by, they are no longer thrilled to fold their clothes or pick up their toys or arrange their shoes in the shoe rack. It is then important to ensure that they follow the routine and continue to do their household chores.

Demonstrate clearly how the jobs are done.

It is important to show your children the jobs that you want them to do, for e.g., folding clothes neatly, clearing the study table, arranging the books and shoes in their proper places, making the bed etc. Initially you show them and then you let them do it by themselves and supervise their activity.

Clearly explain the chores and the expectations from them.

You need to select a very calm time to discuss and talk to your children about their chores. You can make it a fun thing by explaining to them that they are a part of the family team and everybody needs to do their part.

Give appropriate jobs to your children depending on their age.

Encourage your small children to arrange the shoe rack or pick up their toys and put it in the basket. The older children can be asked to fill water bottles, fold clothes, make beds or clean dishes etc.

Make a daily routine of the jobs given.

Children have to get used to a routine. They need to get adjusted with doing things at a particular time regularly. Assign them their daily and weekly tasks and the particular timings to do these tasks. Initially you will have to remind them about the task but later on they will get adjusted with it. It is a good idea to give a daily and weekly chore chart with the timings and what to do when. When they finish the task they will put a tick on the chart.

Make it interesting and fun time.

I try to make it interesting, by giving both my daughters their age appropriate chores such as folding clothes or tidying up the room etc. I then monitor the same to see who does their chores faster and more efficiently and the winner then gets a sweet at the end of the week.

Younger children are more likely to take up this kind of competition.

Daily 10 minutes of tidy up.

Always allocate daily 10 minutes of tidy up time. They have to tidy up their room or help in some other household chores. Always instil the value of helping and caring for others. It is important for children to help their mother or the house help, to ensure that they are not overloaded with work. Always teach your children to value and respect cleanliness and help in the process of maintaining a clean house.

Teach your children to make a less mess of the place.

It is important to teach good manners to your children right from a young age so that they grow up to be good adults.

Ensure that your children eat food sitting at one place, so they don’t dirty the entire place and also get into the habit of focusing and eating food properly.

Ensure that they wipe their dirty feet completely on the door mat outside the house and place their shoes properly before entering the house.

Also you need to teach them to ensure that all the dirty laundry is not scattered but kept at the right place for washing.

Encourage rewards for good work.

Always appreciate the good work of your children. Explain to them the difference between average work and good work. Motivate them with rewards, so that they keep up their good work. Have a point system for their jobs done and whoever reaches the first 50 points gets their favourite meal.

Do not over praise your child.

Today most parents overdo praising. Children are praised or thanked for everything that they do. The result is that children feel that they are doing a big favour to their parents.

It is important to make them understand that they are responsible to do certain things, which they have been allotted to do. If they refuse or do not do their chores in time, then give them fair number of warnings and opportunities to improve, else they will have to face the consequences like time off, less pocket money, reducing their favourite tv time etc., till they fall in line.

Remember it is never too late to inculcate these good habits in children. The above are some of the ways to get your children to do the household chores.

To read our earlier article please click here http://smartwomanworld.com/parenting-teenage-children/

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