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How to get your kids to do chores? My mom will definitely freak out when she reads this title. Thanking my parents and god that I was born in India is just not enough to explain how our parents like to shield us as much as they can from the worldly responsibilities.
Underlying to this behavior is unimaginable amounts of love. But, with our generation, we are heading towards a little more practicality. At least I have decided to ensure that my kids pick up after themselves. With my daughter who is just 2.5 yrs old, I am slowly teaching her how to wipe the water she generally spills when playing, or put back all her toys in the toy basket and such.
With such young kids, there is no concept of chores yet. For her any instruction that I give is learning. She does not yet question my ability to order her around – blessing really! But, I know in couple of years where this bossing around is going to have to go. Recollecting my days, we were obedient kinds, listening to every word that comes out of my mom’s mouth.
But, with every generation comes an evil. Our evil was the television. But, now the teens have the internet and the myriad of devices that go with it. Though I wouldn’t want you to throw things away and discipline them, I would want you to inculcate life lessons that these devices are void of. With this thought, here are some tips to get things done by your teens.
WiFi at a price
Oh my can’t wait for your kids reaction to this one right! Jot down the few chores for the day that kids have to do and in return they get the WiFi passwords. As simple as that. I am thinking this might work with my husband too-worth a try!
Abdicate anything on floor astray
This irks me! One moment they are happily playing with the Xbox and in another they have ran off to watch TV leaving the mess of wires and controllers all around. Best thing to do is confiscate them and make your teen do a chore in return of their priced possession. The game must go on right?
Work for money
Now, when I say this it doesn’t mean for everyday chores. But, life lessons that you have to work hard to earn some money can be effectively taught with this. For Diwali cleaning or vacation cleaning and other such huge tasks, you can turn them into a job that gives your teens to earn some extra change.
Let the clothes not be washed
For once, let the laundry stay were it is! When your teen learns that there are no fresh t-shirts to wear, he will realize that it’s time to help out with the laundry. This works very well cause I have tried it with my husband – harsh? Not at all, he realized missing t-shirts before he ran out of them
Treat them like an adult
When I was a teen, I was constantly bugging my mom to give me responsibilities that were not for my age. I always wanted to do the adult duties. I did them quite ok and as per her expectations. But, the win here was the sense of achievement it gave me. Talk to your teen about how you think they are grown up and can handle chores without constant nagging. This one is worth a try.
This whole exercise might make you wonder if it is worth the trouble and should you just rush and finish the task faster than your teen, but I will stop you right there. As per centerforparentingeducation.org, kids who do chores at home generally come out as kids with higher self esteem and sense of achievement about themselves. They feel like an equal contributor in the house just like their parents.
I am begging to all parents to not let homework, hobby classes or other pressing reasons to be used as an excuse for a child to skip chores. You will be stealing from them an opportunity to rise in the world as responsible adults and decision makers.
How do you engage your teens in doing chores? Share your experiences in the comments section.
