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Are You Consistent with Your Kids’ Chores?

Does it sometimes seem easier to do the chore yourself, than to go through all the power struggles of getting your kids to do their chores?!

We do know that starting your kids doing chores as young as possible, is the best way to create habits that last lifetimes and reduce your power struggles around chores as they get older.

For the BC Family Day weekend, we were away with some very good friends, who I went to graduate school with, and so this husband-wife team are also both counsellors.  We were talking about chores and they told us about a really good system for getting their kids to empty the dishwasher.  (Their kids are 13 yrs. and 15 yrs. and they’ve had this system in place for the last few years, so you know it’s a “tried and true” effective strategy!)

Their first born child is assigned odd days because she was born first which equals number one.

Their second born child is assigned even days because he was born second which equals number two.

They ask the kids to empty the dishwasher and the kids immediately check the date.  If it’s an odd day, the daughter, their first-born, gets to choose if she would prefer to empty the top rack or the bottom rack and then her brother does whichever rack she didn’t choose.  Then, on the even days, the second born, their son, gets to choose if he would rather empty the top rack or the bottom rack and his sister does the other rack.

I love this system for a few reasons:

1. It’s easy to remember – if you only have two children in your family, you can use this odd – even way of alternating.  (For families with more or less than two kids, you’d need to devise a different plan – perhaps with three kids, you could write 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, etc. on the calendar for every day of the month.

2.  It gives kids a choice and kids love choices.  This way, every other day, each child has a chance to make a choice.

3.  It’s so easy that parents can be 100% consistent implementing it, which as we know, is often the hardest part, when we try to set up new systems.

They’ve also extended this system to other chores…

The first born child sets the table on even days and the second born child clears the table and puts the dishes in the dishwasher on even days, and then they switch on odd days.

If you’re children are really young, then I highly recommend starting chores now.  Young kids love to help out and are usually more than happy to follow you around with a Swifter® or a broom or wipe down a table and placemats.  With younger children the most important factor is to take take the time to train them.  They will enjoy this quality 1:1 time with you and they will know exactly what to do when you ask them to wipe down the placemats.

You may have a different idea as to how you could use the odd and even days to implement a chore schedule.  You may also have your own method of handling chores that’s already working really well.  I’d love to hear your ideas!  Please share your great tips with us on my Facebook Page and we will all benefit 🙂

My passion project, Toddler to Teen™ Parenting Solutions is almost complete!  Keep an eye out next Sunday, when I will release the first free parent training, via video, on how to handle those big melt-downs in your toddler or teenager.

If you live in BC, I hope you enjoyed a lovely Family Day long weekend with your family,

Warmly,

 

 

PS.  Registration for my next round of Self-Empowerment groups is now open.  If your child needs help with friendship dynamics, assertiveness skills, positive self-talk, self-regulation and/or perspective taking, then please look here for more information and to register online.  (The 7-9 year old group is full but there is still room in the 10-12 year old group.)