Most children find it boring to think about doing jobs around the house. Instead of doing chores like washing the dishes or folding the clothes, they would rather play. When the floor is swept, and the house is clean, an adult feels a sense of calm, but a child does not; it often doesn’t make a lot of difference to them. 

Nonetheless, children can learn important things by pitching in around the house, including responsibility for their personal space and fundamental life skills. Take a look at these easy tips for parents who want their children to help out with chores around the house to ensure your own kids start doing their bit. 

Make The Jobs Age-Appropriate 

Children of virtually any age can pitch in with household chores, but the work they do should be tailored to their abilities, so you need to give them age-appropriate jobs to do. Even the youngest children can help out around the house by doing things like putting away toys and feeding the pets, while the eldest can take on more challenging activities like raking leaves or cleaning the carpets. 

If you give a child something that’s too easy for them, they won’t gain anything from or learn anything. Equally, if you give them something that’s too hard, they will become frustrated and upset that they can’t do it, and it might mean they aren’t willing to try anything else. 

Work With Them 

Some jobs are things that the kids can do themselves, like putting away their toys or unloading the dishwasher. In other situations, the job might be one that takes a lot more time and skill. Don’t assume that the children can’t help out, or at the very least, that they can’t learn something from watching you do the work. 

Take repairs, for example. If your tumble dryer is no longer working and you want to fix it, why not get the kids involved? They may not be able to safely do the practical work, but you could ask them to search for information online, such as where is the thermal fuse on a dryer and then read the answer to you. In this way, they’ll feel a great sense of satisfaction as you work together to get something done. 

Make It Regular, But Different 

It’s important to not just enlist their help early on but to keep asking them to help out. Even if it’s just once or twice a week, if you can get them to do a few simple things at the same time each week, it will become a predictable part of their routine.

Keep duties within their normal schedule, but give them a few new things to try every so often. You can shake up their duties by having them draw names out of a hat, asking them what they’d like to do, or coming up with something else creative.

Praise Them 

Keep things upbeat and polite by using “please” and “thank you” while asking for help. Tell your kids they did a great job when they finished a project and that you’re pleased with their efforts. This will help your children view the idea of chores in a more positive light.