Having trouble getting your child to do some chores around the house? Check out how to trick your child to do housework!
Chores and children, a combination parents usually don’t think about very fondly. After all getting your offspring to clean up their room is a daily struggle within itself, with that kind of attitude what more can we ask for?
Parents usually opt to just forget about asking their kids to do chores, such as the dishes on a weekly basis or vacuuming the living room, because it’s such an uphill battle. Yet there are always ways you can trick your child to do housework. We share our tips here:
Housework trick 1: Put it on a daily checklist
The first secret to trick your child to do housework is to make it part of their daily routine. This way it conditions them to incorporate tidying up into their daily routine. It also makes chore-time less daunting, especially if your child starts out with small and simple tasks, such as making his own bed or taking out the trash.
Housework trick 2: Make it fun!
Chores are often associated with hard work and drudgery and that’s why kids always try to get out of them. Trick your child to do the housework by incorporating an element of fun into it. For example, put on some music and dance with your kids while you mop or vacuum or when folding clothes, get your kids to match up socks and toss the balled up socks back into the drawer as if they were playing a game of basketball.
Make sure to customize cleaning tools to make chores easier for children
Housework trick 3: Child-friendly
Customize cleaning tools, such as brooms and mops to fit your child. You can do this by cutting off the ends of the broom or mop handle so that your child can handle them comfortably. Having their own tools will encourage them to be more involved in helping out with the housework.
Housework trick 4: Motivate them
Every child thrives on motivation and positive reinforcement. Use a tool such as a reward chart to trick your child to do housework. One of the ways a reward chart works is that your child gets a star every time he completes his chores and after he reaches a certain amount of stars, he will be rewarded for his efforts. Rewards can come in the form of 30 minutes extra time on the computer, a later curfew or even a trip to his favourite theme park.
Whatever you decide to do, remember that starting young is the key. Not only do you teach them an essential life skill, you will be saving yourself from a screaming teenager, who is adamant about not doing their chores.
Have you tried any of these tips to trick your child to do housework? Have they worked for you? Share with us your experience as well as other ways you use to trick your child to do housework.
Do also check out this video on more information on how to trick your child to do housework.