Parenting is super fun when it’s effective, and everyone is doing what they got to do. Kids learn more about what they see than what they are instructed to. This must always be taken into account while teaching your child. Similar is the case when teaching them to do chores. No matter how much you try to convince your children to do chores, they will not get interested until they see you doing the same.
If you want your kid to be punctual, you have to be punctual first. Kids imitate you better than they may listen to you. Convincing kids to do the chores is among the most challenging tasks in this world. Children have a shorter attention span than adults, so they have greater chances of getting distracted.
One more thing to remember is to motivate and not just make your kids do the chores. Following is a list of some tips for all the parents and teachers to motivate the kids to get the chores done:
1. Limit Distractions
Kids cannot bear with the chores while they can be distracted. Therefore, make sure to limit distractions whenever possible. This does not mean that you should create a boring environment because children do not like boring settings. Some entertainment might boost the kid’s energy level so he can do better and faster. Excess of everything is bad, so you have to adopt moderation when dealing with a kid.
2. Work as a Team
Children demand love, and you can only teach them things if you are affectionate and loving. The purpose of letting kids do the chores is only to upgrade their sense of responsibility and sharpen their skills. But you must be vigilant not to burden them more than their capacity. You better work as a team with your little ones.
You might mold the tasks into games, so they get compassionate towards the chores. Kids do stuff they love to. You have to trick their little brains so that the chores seem amusing to them. If the task is long, you may break it into parts. Turning chores into games can engage the kids more.
3. Set Deadlines
Believe it or not, children love deadlines. If you define a period of doing chores, it will motivate them to quickly do and get done with whatever task assigned to them. Beware of setting short deadlines because longer ones may cause boredom, and hence kids may get distracted by something they find more interesting. A span of greater than 20 minutes should be avoided.
4. Set Reward or Punishment
Pre-teach the children about the consequences
Deadlines alone will not work if there are no rewards or punishment. A small reward or punishment can work. Like you can tell your kid that if they get their chores done within 20 minutes, they will get their favorite ice cream tonight.
Another example of reward can be the allowance to watch their favorite cartoons. You will see the kid doing the chore with more zeal and love in the hope of having their favorite ice cream or watching cartoons.
The punishment may be in the form of adding an extra chore to their to-do list. It frightens the kids to the point they refrain from delaying what they have been assigned. This reward and punishment phenomenon has been seen to yield improved results.
Address if the Kids are Not Doing The Task
Some parents avoid nagging and do not address if the tasks remain undone by their kids. It should be avoided to develop healthy habits. Always address if the task has been delayed or undone and give the assigned punishment.
Moreover, children’s good deeds are often ignored, which does not leave a good impact on them. They want to get noticed, and if you start highlighting their good deeds, you will see them engaging in chores more often.
Surprise Them with a Day Off as a Bonus or with Some Gifts
Who does not love surprises? Always try to be their favorite by showing love. Surprising them if they have done the chores perfectly is another way to motivate them on time and effectively. There should be a day off from all the chores.
You can uplift their moods by surprising them with cute stationery or coloring books.
5. Transform the Tasks Into Riddles
Kids can play the whole day without getting tired. However, they will tire out within no time while working. Psychology says that you can spend more time on the things that you love. So, be a little creative in changing the behaviors of your little ones.
You can make the chores interesting for children by hiding the chits with letters written on them. Each chit should contain one letter. Ask your kiddo to search for all the letters you hid in the mess while cleaning. Then after doing that, they should make a whole word from the letters. It will sharpen the creative side of their brains while the cleaning has been done in the background.
Because the center of attention was solving the riddle, the kid would be unable to focus on the process of doing his chore, and that will turn out into more fun.
6. Switch Routines
Children do not show any interest in doing the same chores daily. Therefore, you should switch their routines and add new twists to their chores so that the tasks seem interesting to them and they are more keenly engaged.
It is a common phenomenon that kids love to explore. Because they are in the phase of growth, they want to see and experience newer, innovative things. You would have seen them having fun when you visit a playland or zoo with them. It is because they visit it once in a blue moon.
You should be the one assisting them in learning new things daily so that they never lack creativity. Teach them the way they want to rather than compelling them to be engaged in dull tasks.
Conclusion
Children are attracted to love and affection. They will learn things that seem interesting and fun. You should always engage them with you in your chores without nagging. You can follow the above-mentioned easy tips to motivate your kids to be engaged in doing chores without any hassle. We hope you find this article helpful.