Parents: Are Your Children Reluctant to Do Chores and Homework?
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The bad news about giving your kids chores: Kids aren't born with the skills of being tidy and helpful. And because those skills don't come naturally, it's often a source of frustration - full of squabbles, tantrums and punishments for non-compliance.
The good news about giving your kids chores: They provide great opportunities for your child to learn about being a team player and taking responsibility for her actions. With regular attention to chores, your child can also start to develop an appreciation for the act of completing a task and seeing a job well done.
The chore charts here at FreeBehaviorCharts.com will help you inspire the children in your life to keep track of their contributions to the household, while also gaining valuable life skills that will help them as they grow up.
But the charts have to used correctly in order for your child to find more success with getting things done - whether it's chores, homework, or how they interact with others. Below you'll find tips on choosing age-appropriate chores and rewards.
How to choose chores to go with the chore charts
When using these printable chore charts at home, it's important to make sure that the chores and activities you want your child to complete are easy to accomplish. If they're too hard, your child will get discouraged and not be interested in using the charts anymore (let alone doing any chores!)
If you're not sure what you'd like your child to do for chores, make a list of all the things that you do during a day and circle or highlight the ones that you'd like help with. Then see if you can modify the activity to match the abilities of your child.
Another option is to make a list of chores that get done around the house regularly, and then have a family conference to determine who will do which chores. Who knows...your child might actually enjoy doing one of them and be excited to take that responsibility
Here are some ideas for chores that can set your child up for success. Each time the chore is completed, he can mark his chart accordingly. Increase responsibilities as your child gets older.
Age |
Sample Chores - adjust to your situation |
3-4 |
Wipe your face. Put paper in trash. Use the potty. Eat with a fork. |
4-5 |
Brush your teeth. Put your toys away. Flush toilet. Find your shoes. |
5-6 |
Bring dishes into kitchen. Pick out your clothes. Match clean socks. |
6-7 |
Clear the table. Put dirty clothes in hamper. Bring in newspaper. |
7-8 |
Make your bed. Take out the trash. Feed the pet. Pull weeds. |
8-9 |
Fold laundry. Walk the dog. Make your breakfast. Sweep the floor. |
9-10 |
Help siblings get ready for school. |
10-11 |
Make your lunch. Do a load of laundry. Put groceries away. |
11-12 |
Babysit your brother/sister. Make shopping lists. Rake leaves. |
Creative Ideas for Rewards and Incentives
A major key to using chore charts effectively is having a reward that the child values. Don't worry. Money isn't the only thing kids value these days!
Here are some suggestions for simple, meaningful and inspiring rewards that can be used with our chore charts to motivate your child.
Get creative and have fun! Ask your child what she'd like to work toward having or doing and make a list. Then see how the two of you can make it a win-win situation. You'll have a better chance to get the help around the house that you want, your daughter will feel involved and respected and she can earn the things and activities that she wants. What a great match!
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Ready for Some Additional Help?
Help For Kids with ADHD (and the parents who love them!) - Tom Daly is a parent and teacher who has cracked the code to dealing with ADHD behaviors both in and out of the classroom. He's written a 5-Lesson Report that you can read online for free. You'll get ideas you can use immediately, so this is one you won't want to miss.
Take a Free Learning Inventory Test with Your Child Online - Knowing your child's primary learning style won't only help you as you're doing homework with her, but it can actually make chore time easier. Once the learning style is identified, you can customize the chore routines to match. The inventory is free and easy to use - and you can get the results in a matter of minutes.
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