It's never a bad thing to teach your little ones to get a sense of responsibility even if it only includes simple and non-straining tasks. A lot of parents start their kids on chore training as early as 2 years old which is ideal. What most parents tend to overlook though, is how to get the message across without the instructions being lost like Amelia Earhart flying over the Caribbean. It's hard enough to work with a toddler's attention span, let alone giving them chores. As a child, chores were my least favorite part of the day and it's not surprising if kids these days feel the same way too. It takes too much away from important tasks like, lining up G.I Joe's while pretending to be Godzilla as you obliterate downtown New York, or building your own ramp so you can complete a 30 degree twist on your rollerblades.
Here are a few tips to help get your children to not only do chores but to enjoy them while they're at it.
Do the first chores with them
You can't expect children to just do whatever you point them to do. They're not going to get up and say, €Hey, you know what? I've had enough lollygagging today. I now have the motivation to clean up my mess on my own,€ - well, at least not right away. Do simple tasks with them like putting away their toys. Show them how to do it slowly and then ask them to try it. Don't forget to compliment them for doing a good job as well.
Use characters as motivation
If you're child loves Dora the Explorer, you can try to use that to your advantage. Teaching your kids a thing or two about vocabulary isn't the only thing Dora is good for. You can tell them that Dora likes to help her mom and dad by picking up pieces of broken crayons and putting them into the broken crayon box or something. Try incorporating characters they love to tasks that you want them to learn.
Keep Instructions Clear
You want to make use of simple words and avoid giving them instructions that sound like you want to have them repair a bad sector on the NASA Space Station. The clearer and shorter your instructions are, the better they can retain it and carry out the task without confusion.
Avoid Yelling
You can't expect them to know how to do things in the first few tries and yelling at them isn't going to help. Instead of keeping their focus on the task, raising your voice just adds confusion and most of the time, it only leads to discouraging your children to even try. If Little Johnny is having a hard time separating shirts from socks, your yelling isn't going to turn them into a Laundry Separation Expert in 24 hours. Be careful and take their feelings into consideration.
Make it Fun
Who says you can't add in some playtime while doing some chores? Make the experience less boring. Try playing catch as you clean up the toys with them and try to maybe give them a reward or two for every task.
Of course, you shouldn't expect them to get every task spot on. It will take a couple more times to get them to add these chores into their routine. There will also be times when asking them to do chores would be as tough as getting Donald Trump to sign on the dotted line. Never lose your patience. The rewards at the end will not only be beneficial for you as somebody who needs to ease off of a couple of tasks from time to time, it will also teach your kids to be more responsible. This helps them value the role of everybody in the family and encourage them to help out, whether it be a little task or not.
Here are a few tips to help get your children to not only do chores but to enjoy them while they're at it.
Do the first chores with them
You can't expect children to just do whatever you point them to do. They're not going to get up and say, €Hey, you know what? I've had enough lollygagging today. I now have the motivation to clean up my mess on my own,€ - well, at least not right away. Do simple tasks with them like putting away their toys. Show them how to do it slowly and then ask them to try it. Don't forget to compliment them for doing a good job as well.
Use characters as motivation
If you're child loves Dora the Explorer, you can try to use that to your advantage. Teaching your kids a thing or two about vocabulary isn't the only thing Dora is good for. You can tell them that Dora likes to help her mom and dad by picking up pieces of broken crayons and putting them into the broken crayon box or something. Try incorporating characters they love to tasks that you want them to learn.
Keep Instructions Clear
You want to make use of simple words and avoid giving them instructions that sound like you want to have them repair a bad sector on the NASA Space Station. The clearer and shorter your instructions are, the better they can retain it and carry out the task without confusion.
Avoid Yelling
You can't expect them to know how to do things in the first few tries and yelling at them isn't going to help. Instead of keeping their focus on the task, raising your voice just adds confusion and most of the time, it only leads to discouraging your children to even try. If Little Johnny is having a hard time separating shirts from socks, your yelling isn't going to turn them into a Laundry Separation Expert in 24 hours. Be careful and take their feelings into consideration.
Make it Fun
Who says you can't add in some playtime while doing some chores? Make the experience less boring. Try playing catch as you clean up the toys with them and try to maybe give them a reward or two for every task.
Of course, you shouldn't expect them to get every task spot on. It will take a couple more times to get them to add these chores into their routine. There will also be times when asking them to do chores would be as tough as getting Donald Trump to sign on the dotted line. Never lose your patience. The rewards at the end will not only be beneficial for you as somebody who needs to ease off of a couple of tasks from time to time, it will also teach your kids to be more responsible. This helps them value the role of everybody in the family and encourage them to help out, whether it be a little task or not.
Source...