How to Organize a Chore Schedule for Kids
Chores benefit children because they teach responsibility, an appreciation for hard work and the importance of helping. However, children often resist, and parents don't always know how to get their children to help with the housework without a lot of nagging and reprimanding.
One way to reduce the amount of stress involved in getting children to do their chores is to organize an effective chore schedule. By assigning an appropriate number and type of chores to your child you increase the chance that he will complete the housework you want him to with a minimum of fuss and tears.
Instructions
1) Identify age-appropriate chores your child can complete. 2- to 3-year-olds can make their own beds, pick up their toys and put dirty clothes in their hampers. 4- to 5-year-olds can help set the table, help clear the table and give a pet food and water. Younger school-age children can vacuum, empty the dishwasher, take out the trash and help with the laundry. Teenagers can clean bathrooms, mow the lawn and prepare meals.
2) Determine which chores your child should complete every day or week. Select chores for your child based on her ability and interests. Decide whether she should be responsible for the same chores all the time or whether she should trade jobs with another family member periodically. Ask for her input into the chores she will be responsible for. If you assign her a chore she hates and expect her to always do it, it will be harder to get her to complete her chores than if you either alternate chores or give her a regular job to do that she enjoys.
3) Design a chart with your child's chore schedule. Draw eight columns on a piece of paper or sheet of poster board with a ruler and pen or marker. Write the chores you want your child to complete in the far left column. Write a day of the week in the top row of the other seven columns. Draw a line under each chore, extending through all eight columns, to create boxes your child can mark off when he completes a chore.
| Activity | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clean backyard |
x | x |
|||||
| Water garden |
x | x | |||||
| Wash the car |
x | ||||||
| Take garbage |
x | x | |||||
4) Post the chore schedule you have created in a central location -- such as the refrigerator -- to remind your child of the chores she needs to complete. Have her mark off the chores as she finishes them to give her a sense of accomplishment.
Things You'll Need
Paper or poster board
Ruler
Pen or marker
Tips & Warnings
• Don't assign so many chores your child becomes stressed out and overwhelmed. Keep in mind the amount of homework he has to complete and extracurricular activities when deciding how many daily chores you expect. Make sure he has some free time to relax and wind down.
Article by By Michelle Johnson, Courtesy of eHow.
