We have all seen children trying to help their parents wash dishes or help dad put the trash out. Some parents prevent their children from helping around the house because they feel like their kids are too small and can’t do much. They don’t want their kids getting hurt. As the child gets older, mom and dad decide that it is time to start assigning some chores. However, they quickly realize that their wonderful son who was so eager to help mom and dad when he was a toddler prefers to play videogames with his friends rather than help around the house. That’s where the struggle begins, and feelings get hurt. Here are a few suggestions on how to get your child to help more around the house.  

First, it is essential that you allow your child to help you with chores as soon as possible. It might be tempting to stop your toddler when he or she is trying to help around the house. You see your child as cute, fragile, and your protective nature comes out. However, this is a great opportunity to introduce your children to something that they will need to do in some shape or form for the rest of their lives. Giving your kids age-appropriate chores allows them to become more confident in their capabilities. Taking the time to teach your toddler simple things that they can do can help them feel more connected to the parent. This is also a way of spending quality time together. The earlier your child starts doing chores, the more it will become part of their routine, like brushing their teeth. Make it a habit that they can stick to for years to come.  

Second, make a chores chart for your kids and place it where everyone can see it frequently. Sometimes we tell our kids to do certain tasks. Then they forget and we forget who we told to do what and when. To avoid any type of confusion and make it as clear as possible, make a chart that looks colorful and fun. Use colors that are loud and involve the children’s input. You can give them a list of the chores that need to be done and ask them which ones they would like to do. Another thing that you can do is switch who gets which chores every week. This way someone doesn’t end up stuck with something that they don’t like. 

Third, make chores fun for your kids. You can add fun to anything you are doing even if the task is boring. One suggestion is to play a song that the family likes and pick up as many things as possible for the duration of that song and place them in the appropriate place. Younger kids can help you match socks while you fold the bigger clothing items. You can also set a timer and see who can clean their room the fastest before they go to sleep. This will add the thrill of a challenge. Reward your kids for doing their chores. Rewards can be anything depending on their age. If they are young, you can reward them with stickers. If they are a little older, maybe taking them out to eat at their favorite place. If they are adolescents, maybe they can stay out a little longer or go to sleep a little later. Maybe they want a clothing item or just cash so they can save for something special. Either way, you can motivate your kids by rewarding them, and not all rewards involve finances. 

Your kids can do many things. Have trust in them and remind them that if they need help, you are always there to lend a hand. It is important to praise your kids for a job well done. Avoid praising your kids and adding something negative in the end. For example, “Thank you for washing the dishes, Johnny. See, that wasn’t so hard. You need to do that all the time without me having to remind you.” Your praise just went from something good and uplifting to something critical and negative. Just give praise and stop at that. Resist the temptation to add anything else. Stay on top of things by making sure they are doing their chores. Don’t leave it all up to them to do the right thing. Eventually it will become second nature. But for now, gently remind them when they forget something. At first it might feel like a lot of work. Eventually, they will do it by themselves without you having to remind them. Stick with it and don’t lose hope.