There’re a lot of jobs that need to be done around the house. It’s only fair that the kids pitch in to help. But motivating them to complete chores is not a simple task!
If you need a little help in the chore department, consider these motivating approaches for your kids:
LINK IT TO POCKET MONEY
It’s an oldie but a goodie: when pocket money payment is linked to completing jobs around the house, they usually get done. Have some core jobs that your child needs to do each week to receive their money. Make sure the jobs are age-appropriate, but they could clean the toilet, take out the bins, clean their room or help with the washing. You might even include some extra optional jobs your child can do for a little additional payment like washing the car or vacuuming the house.
SCREEN TIME REWARDS
Another great way to get kids to help around the house is to link chores to screen time. You can have a core list of chores that need to be completed to enjoy some screen time on the weekend. Or, you could list out chores and link each to screen time minutes. For example, taking out the bin might equal 5 screen time minutes. That way your child can work for their screen time by completing jobs. Just make sure you put a cap on the screen time if you don’t want it to extend for hours.
WORK FOR A BIG REWARD
Does your child want a big or expensive item? Have them work for it. This can work just like the pocket money option, only instead of giving them money you keep track of the total they have earned. You might like to include some big-ticket items like mowing the lawn or pulling out weeds, which can be done occasionally and result in a slightly larger “pay-out.” If your child is motivated, they might earn their item in a month or two.
MAKE IT FUN
Nobody enjoys cleaning, so why not make it a fun family activity? Have a laundry folding race. Sing silly songs while you wash the dishes. See who can take the bin out in the funniest way. Getting everyone involved and making a game of it can motivate everyone in the family to help. Even the grown-ups!
Need some more motivation? Check out these printable chore charts or this screen time rewards chart.
Keeping the house tidy is a big job that includes the entire family. That doesn’t always mean the kids want to help, though! Get them on board with completing their chores by using incentives or making the jobs fun for the whole family.
