Today we are going to discuss how to get your children and teens to do chores around the house. Doing chores is a major conflict and problem in many families. First, let’s clarify why your child needs to do chores.
Your child is part of your household. Your child has to learn that as part of a group he has to contribute to that group. In your family, that means helping around the house and doing his chores.
I am going to give you one technique that will help you reduce conflict when it comes to getting chores done. It is quite simple, actually. The idea is to have a scheduled chore time for your entire family.
For example, every day from 4:00-5:00 all the children do their chores…everyone. That means that one child will wash the dishes, one child will fold the laundry, one child will take out the garbage, and so on. Have a special time where no one is doing anything but complete his or her chores.
Having a pre-scheduled chore time cuts down on a lot of conflict. It also provides structure to your home. Everyone knows that when the time comes he has to stop whatever he is doing and complete his chores.
Having a chore time eliminates a lot of the petty complaints. One child won’t say, “Why does he get to watch TV while I have to do the laundry?” Everyone is working at the same time.
If your child does not comply and keep his chore time you can then start using consequences to enforce it.
For example, if from 4:00-5:00 your child is supposed to take out the garbage and the garbage is not taken out, then he can’t play video games until the garbage is taken out. He can’t watch television. There is no dinner. In fact there is no anything else until the garbage is taken out.
We talk about using consequences effectively in a free CD that you can get here: FREE Child Discipline CD.
Getting kids to do chores is one of the conflicts parents have with their difficult defiant children.
Again, your child should do chores because he is part of your household. Your child has to learn that as part of a group he has to contribute to that group and that in your family, that means helping around the house and doing his chores.
This is only one of numerous techniques we have for helping with chores. But this technique alone will help you to get your children to do their chores more easily and with a lot less complaints.
It was a good idea. These suggestions really helped. My son now knows that if he wants to go outside, or watch video games he has to do chores, and we are in the process of making time for chores only time for everyone in the house hold.
Thanks