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Household chores are a rite of passage for kids. Whether their job is to keep their own rooms tidy or take out the trash every week, helping out around the house teaches kids responsibility ... and teamwork. A job well done can also boost self-esteem.
Kids as young as age 2 or 3 can begin by helping with basic tasks, such as putting dirty clothes in the laundry basket or stirring cake batter. By age 10, most kids can handle a variety of chores.
To generate interest in helping out at home:
- Assign age-appropriate tasks. It may be easier for a 10-year-old to fold laundry than iron it. If you want help in the kitchen, keep it simple. Ask her to tear up lettuce for a salad or measure ingredients for a dinner recipe rather than make the entire meal herself.
- Be reasonable. Balance your child's household tasks with other commitments like schoolwork, activities, clubs and downtime with friends.
- Offer choices. Allow your child to choose tasks from a list of appropriate chores. Be willing to negotiate the amount of time required for each chore and switch chores around from time to time to give everyone a break.
- Be specific. To avoid a sloppy job, let your child know exactly what's expected, along with the consequences for an unfinished job. You may want to do specific chores together at first to help your child learn the steps.
- Make it a family affair. Show how each family member contributes to keeping things running at home. Examples include a parent going to work every day to earn money for the family, or one sibling setting the table and another folding laundry.
- Change perspective. If the chore is feeding the dog, remind your child it's important because she loves the dog - not because she'll be nagged if she doesn't do it. Or if your son resists cleaning his room, talk about the benefits of staying organized. Maybe he will be able to get ready for school more quickly so he can sleep later in the morning.
- Celebrate progress. Make a chore chart or calendar. Let your child have fun with the colors and design. After a task is completed, cross it off the chart. Your child will feel a sense of accomplishment and have a good sense of what's left to be done.
Of course, there will be times when your child doesn't do the chore perfectly, or even at all. It's important for you to stay flexible and not get upset with occasional lapses. There may be legitimate reasons for these slip-ups. Use firm but loving guidelines to make sure that it doesn't become a habit.
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