Chore Jam

During my husband’s first deployment, it took about 2 days of listening to my kids say things like, “Mommy, you're vacuuming too loud. I can’t hear the TV,” before I created our first chore chart.  I have tried numerous types of charts, rewards and consequences since that first I’ve-had-enough moment, changing the system to adjust to my growing children and our family’s needs.

Even if you have very young children, pitching in around the house is an important lesson for kids to learn. If your child can walk and understand simple sentences, then he can throw trash away.  When milk is spilled, hand your toddler a towel and encourage her to help wipe it up.  Keep a spray bottle filled with water or home made cleaning solution so your 2 1/2 year old can wipe down the table after meals.  Teach your preschoolers how to fold towels and allow her to help with the laundry.  You will be able to judge what your child can do and what type of chores you are willing relinquish control over.  As I had to explain to my husband when he got back from deployment, “If you can’t find where the forks are, it’s because our 5 year old empties the dishwasher now.”

 If your child is having difficulty completing a chore you have given her, make sure the task is age appropriate, and that you have properly explained how to do it.  Some complaining is natural, because rarely does anyone want to do chores.  After  establishing a chore system where every child has something to do, eventually the complaining should subside. If whining does not demising in time you can add “complete chores without whining” as part of a reward system.  

Check out these ideas for chore systems:

Make a chore book for each child.

Make a list of chores with money amounts for children to earn.

Let your child pick a chore from the jar. That way you're not nagging them to do it, the jar is.

Buy a wipe board chore chart or make one of your own.

Children who do chores are independent, responsible and better citizens.  It might not be something they like to do, but it is something that they will benefit from.  Completing chores goes beyond kindergarten readiness skills, they prepare your child for real world tasks through out their lives.