Tips To Get Your Kids To Pitch In Around The House
BOSTON (CBS) - With four kids, two working parents, and a dog, the Haney home can get messy fast.
Nine-year-old Finn said, "The hall was really messy with all the clothes outside people's doors." Mom Patti doesn't like this attitude saying, "It makes me feel disrespected."
Getting kids to do their share of the housework can actually be work.
WBZ-TV's Paula Ebben reports
Life coach and mother of four Rayanne Coy encourages her children to pitch in. Her first tip is to make chores part of the kid's daily routine. With this approach, the children expect to get certain things done each day and are not surprised by them.
Rattling off too many chores can also be overwhelming for a child. Coy says to keep everything simple and direct.
For smaller children, you can try making clean up a game.
For older children, you might want to cut them some slack in their room. They value privacy and you can use that as a trade-off for getting help elsewhere.
Teenagers become more focused on money. If you're comfortable with it, you can offer them cash for specific jobs.
Coy explained, "I have a daughter who likes to earn money and they want to buy the jewelry and I think it's knowing who your child is, and what motivates them."
The Haney's also think there is value in having consequences. For example, they will implement an electronics ban if necessary.
They also find writing things down helps keep everyone organized. 15-year-old Noah gets some satisfaction doing chores, saying, "It kind of gives me a sense of accomplishment that even though I didn't want to do it, now I kind of feel the high of doing something that's worth doing."
