We’ve pulled together a few suggestions that might help...
- Toddlers may not be able to clean, but they can still help. Most often, they just want to be involved, and often with a song or two! So why not give them some simple tasks such as sorting socks or picking up toys? Help them to learn good habits whilst they’re still excited to lend a hand!
- You’ll want to help younger children get started. Pitch in so that it doesn’t overwhelm them, they’ll soon get the hang of it.
- Give them a bit of direction and be specific. Don’t tell them to just ‘clean their room’, tell them exactly what it is you want them to do and what a finished task looks like. You may even need to show them. Being clear upfront can help them understand and complete the job successfully.
- Don’t forget to praise them when they do it right. We all like to be recognised for a job well done – children are no exception.
- Turn it into a game to make it more fun. Put a timer on a chore and see if they can beat the clock or let them ring a bell when they finish. It can make all the difference to their attitude about helping out around the house.
- Don’t use cleaning as a punishment. Instead, use it as a ticket to something else. For example, if they put their laundry away, they can spend an hour playing a video game with a friend or watch TV.
- Give them choices. Find out what chores they like best and let them choose those tasks. If your child enjoys vacuuming, let them do it. In time, it will become ‘their thing’ and they’ll start to take ownership.
- Keep it small. Don’t pile a mountain of chores on them all at once – it could be demotivating and turn them off. By assigning simple tasks that don’t take up too much time, you'll teach your child that if they put their mind to it, they can see it through to completion which in turn, helps build their sense of accomplishment. (This works well for adults too!)
- Complete your chores together. Rather than sending your child off to their ‘lonely’ room, why not complete your chores together? Put aside ten minutes for everyone to work on their specific task and then ‘race’ to see who gets it done first – and to a high standard of course! You could even make an art project out of putting a chart together and to keep track of who does what.
- Makes weekly allowances dependent on getting their chores completed – with incentives and bonuses when they complete extra jobs around the house. You could even ‘tax’ them when they do things they shouldn’t - like leave their toys out or not make their bed. Not only is this a good way to motivate them to tidy up, it also teaches them about money and time management.
