How to Get Kids to Do Chores: 5 Yell-Free, Tears-Free Strategies that Work

How to Get Kids to Do Chores- 5 Yell-Free, Tears-Free Strategies that Work BLOG

Do you find yourself Googling “how to get kids to do chores without losing my freakin’ mind?”

You aren’t alone, mama!

I’m right there with you, glass of wine in one hand and half-eaten Nutella jar in the other, sleep-deprived eyes crazily hunting for tips that actually work and aren’t being dished out by people who clearly don’t have a 5-year old who dissolves into a puddle of tears on the kitchen floor at the mere mention of “pick up your clothes!”

Since I clearly didn’t find solutions that would stick, I did my own experiments and drew on my years of experience as a mental health clinician to make chores for kids a way of connecting with them.

Guess what, it works!

THIS post is my gift to you. If you’re at the end of your already chewed up rope trying to figure out how to get the kids to do chores and actually enjoy them too, you’re going to want to print this out!

5 Fabulously Fun Ways to Get Kids to Do Chores Without Nagging, Yelling or Dealing with Tears and Tantrums

 

  1. Make Chores Fun for Everyone

First things first, chores need to be fun for both the kids and you so you can stick with it and it can be a part of your everyday life, without you having to nag them or them having to cry their little eyes out!

So, you can make it fun with chore charts and little rewards, like stickers or even, a treat or two!

Speaking of chore charts, here’s a gorgeous printable chore chart for you to download right away so you can get that squared off and have ready to use.

 

  1. Chores are NOT Consequences

Next, chores should never be punishments or consequences. Don’t send off your kids to “make their beds” as a consequence of unwanted behavior.

Chores are responsibilities that they share in the house and with the family and they should be treated as such.

Consequences can be and should be different!

 

  1. Make Chores Easy-to-Remember

Little ones have a lot going on in their little heads. That is one reason why they often genuinely forget what they were supposed to be doing. Ever catch your child watching TV with one shoe in the hand and the other on the foot while you’re racing around to get them ready for school? Yes, that is because they do get distracted and they do forget.

Make chores easy for them to remember with yes, the chore charts and also, by ensuring they’re age-appropriate. This may take some amount of testing and tweaking, because all kids are different, and what my 6-year old may be happy to do, yours may struggle to enjoy!

 

  1. Create Memories with Chores

Chores can be a wonderful way of connecting with kids. In my eBook 30 Days, 30 Ways Connecting with Kids, I’ve talked about this but it bears repeating.

Chores can be a wonderful way for you to spend time with the kids, chatting, talking and laughing.

They can fold their clothes while you iron the others.

They can make their beds while you tidy out the bookshelf.

Not only will it give you a chance to connect and chat with them, it will also be a great way for you to walk the talk and model the behaviour you want to see in them. Win-win!

 

  1. Cheer for Jobs Well Done

Finally, and most importantly, whether you decide to give them an allowance for chores or not is totally up to you, but you must cheer them on and encourage them as well. Let them know you notice, especially when they complete a chore that challenges them!

There you go! 5 fuss-free, tears-free, yell-free ways to get kids to do chores and actually enjoy them too!

Don’t forget to download your FREE Finlee and Me Chore Chart right here!

How to Get Kids to Do Chores- 5 Yell-Free, Tears-Free Strategies that Work PINTEREST

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