You’d think that with all of these tips to offer that I could actually get my kids to pick things up occasionally? Well, I can, if they are sufficiently motivated. Tonight I told my son to “Wow” me if he wanted the new book he has been begging for. A little motivation goes a long way. Think about these points:
- Incentives matter. Offer kids some sort of allowance if you expect them to do chores around the house. One of the reasons you work is to get a salary, getting paid is highly motivating.
- Have a fair plan. Set up a family meeting and have a discussion about who doesn’t mind doing which chores. You will get a whole lot farther if you can assign chores to family members somewhat based on their choice. If one kid prefers to take out the garbage and another one prefers to empty the dishwasher, then assign accordingly, rather than battle about getting those things done.
- Make a contest out of it. Award some prize to the family member with the most innovative organization solution. The promise of opening night tickets to a hot movie led my daughter to set up a homework organization station, complete with all the items that the kids might need—neatly stored in a small set of plastic drawers. Simple and amazing at the same time!
Getting more help around the house just takes some patience, and some common sense. Making it everyone’s responsibility can make things happen more quickly, and everyone can enjoy having things be easily found when they are needed, not tripped over, and looking nice! Works for me!
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