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Clean That Room!
How to Get Your Kid to Help Around the House
By Gwen Morrison
When Chavez was growing up, her mom used to tell her what to do and expected it to be done immediately. Now that she's a mom, she does things differently. "We told our kids we wanted such-and-such done by X time/day and let them schedule their own time."
The important thing to remember is that by giving your kids these responsibilities it is instilling in them a sense that you trust in their ability. Don't nit-pick at the completed job. Communicate with them what you expect from the beginning.
"Take time for training," Pantley says. "Don't assume that since your child has seen you do the task that she can do it herself. Be very specific in your instruction and demonstrate step-by-step as your child watches."
In Pantley's book, Perfect Parenting, The Dictionary of 1,000 Parenting Tips (McGraw-Hill, 1998), she lists the following chores as appropriate for kids ages 10 and older:
- Unload dishwasher
- Fold laundry
- Clean kitchen and bath
- Wash windows
- Wash car
- Cook simple meals with supervision
- Plan birthday party
- Change bed
- Iron clothes
- Mow lawn
- Have a neighborhood job, such as pet care or yard work
- Baby-sit younger siblings (with adult at home)