Effective Ways to Engage Your Kids in House Chores

• Post Time - 2023-11-30 10:59:18

Motherhood is just a special and enriching journey, yet involves a lot of tasks and missions to be done daily, weekly, monthly and yearly- alongside the laughter and love, and beautiful moments. Everybody needs her constant care, attention, and involved and endless support. Which leaves most moms end their day feeling drained, overly exhausted, and in desperate need of "me time."

True that Moms are entangled with a sense of responsibility towards the entire family which makes her in need to 1) engage others in her so many tasks and house chores. 2) to have as many breaks as possible- this in order for her to be able to continue her journey and fulfill her legacy.

In the hustle and bustle of every mom’s daily life, household chores make up most of mother’s time during the day and the whole week, which leaves her less time to enjoy with her kids, husband and take good care of herself.  

In today’s article I shall advise every mother to decide today to hold an immediate family meeting and start arranging so that every now and then, kids too would shoulder some of her responsibilities.

Besides helping her out, kids will also benefit from feeling responsible and growing up knowing that help and sharing responsibility is cornerstone to proper relationships.

Yes, engaging kids in house chores can be such an amazing and rewarding experience, for them and the entire family, as it will help foster a sense of responsibility, teamwork, and equip them with new and essential life skills which will benefit them throughout their lives. It will also leave the mother relaxed, less tense, comfortable and with more time to look after herself, share more beautiful moments with her kids and husband and perhaps revive her old abandoned hobbies. Over and above it will make her feel loved and appreciated.

Once you’ve finally decided to delegate some of your tasks as a parent to your kids, keep the following tips in mind. These will help you engage them in a positive manner and help both of you benefit from such an enriching experience.

Starting Young: Cultivating a Habit of Helpfulness

Kids need to see their families helping one another in order for them to grow up with the perception that any community, small or big, and its members are dependent on one another. Introducing the idea of sharing responsibilities to kids at an early age can lay the foundation for a lifelong habit of helping and sharing responsibilities. Even toddlers can take part in age-appropriate household chores, such as cleaning up and putting away toys, sorting laundry, and making their beds. Such small contributions not only help with the upkeep of the home but also instill a sense of ownership and belonging in them.

Age Appropriate tasks: Consider their Age and delegate tasks that matches their age.

When delegating tasks, consider the age of your kids. Children grow a multitude of physical and mind abilities as they grow, for this will help them be more capable of engaging in more tasks every day.

Inviting them to take on more complex chores as they grow, will nurture in them a sense of importance and worthiness. Here's a general guideline for age-appropriate chores:

• Toddlers (2-3 years old): Simple tasks such as cleaning up putting away toys. Also sorting laundry and making their beds, even if not done perfectly.

• Preschoolers (4-5 years old): Also making their beds, removing dust off the shelves, setting the table and helping with meal preparation

• School-age kids (6-12 years old): Their skills are more developed and this will enable them to take on more complicated tasks, such as vacuuming, dusting, and perhaps preparing their own breakfast and making sandwiches.

• Teenagers (13-18 years old): Cooking simple meals, laundry, babysitting, deep cleaning and running some errands in the neighborhood.

Making It Fun and 

Household chores can be boring for some kids. However you can always make it fun and enjoyable. Whenever your children feel that tasks you’re delegating them are boring and mundane, be a little bit creative and transform such tasks into fun and engaging activities. Here are some tips:

• Transform chores into challenges and games: Arrange tasks and set a timer and see who will clean up and put away toys the fastest or race to see who can fold more laundry pieces in short time.

• Speak and laugh as you all work together.

• Tell them that you trust them, this will make them strive to meet your expectation.

• Don’t fix what they do, make them feel they did a great job, you can give more tips later on, or fix that which needs to be fixed while they’re away. You’ll exert more effort at the beginning but later on, you’ll save yourself more time and effort.

• Incorporate music: Put on some upbeat tunes to make chores more enjoyable.

• Make it a family affair: Work together on chores. Do not rest as they work, but rather assign yourself another task meanwhile, turning tasks into bonding experiences.

Celebrate the Outcome regardless of how small

Encouragement, praise and positive reinforcement can play a crucial role in encouraging kids to engage more in house chores and actually enjoy them. Acknowledge their contribution with praise, encouragement, and small incentives. Avoid negative criticism or getting into details that would be challenging for their skills as it will discourage them.

Creating a Schedule: Stick to Structure and Consistency

Setting a schedule provides structure and predictability for your kids which will making it easier for them to manage their time and responsibilities. You may as well involve them in creating the schedule, allowing them to choose tasks that suit their interests and abilities.

Adapting to their Needs and Abilities

Do consider the skills, interests and pace of each one of your kids when delegating tasks, and try as much as you can to adapt your expectations to their capabilities and provide support accordingly.  

Making Chores a Family Affair that Enforces Bonds

Household chores should not be the responsibility of kids only, moms and dads should take part, modeling the importance of contributing to the upkeep of the home.

Benefits of Sharing Responsibilities: Fostering Life Skills

Engaging in household chores extends beyond simply maintaining a clean and organized home. It provides children with valuable life skills, including:

• Responsibility: Learning to take ownership of tasks and commitments

• Problem-solving: Identifying and finding solutions to everyday challenges

• Teamwork: Collaborating with others to achieve common goals

• Self-sufficiency: Developing the ability to manage personal tasks and responsibilities

• A sense of accomplishment: Experiencing the satisfaction of completing tasks and contributing to the home

Help Nurture a Generation of Responsible Contributors

Involving kids in household chores is not just about getting things done; it's about nurturing a generation of responsible, capable, and contributing individuals. By fostering a positive and engaging approach to chores, we empower children with the skills and attitudes they need to thrive in life.

Benefits of engaging in household chores go far beyond simply maintaining a clean and organized home. It provides children with valuable life skills, such as:

• Sense of responsibility: Learning to take ownership of tasks and commitments

• Problem-solving skills: Identifying and finding solutions to everyday challenges

• Teamwork spirit: Collaborating with others to achieve common goals

• Self-sufficiency: Developing the ability to manage personal tasks and responsibilities

• A sense of accomplishment: Experiencing the satisfaction of completing tasks and contributing to the home

However getting things done easily shouldn't be the sole purpose of engaging kids in house chores, but rather, nurturing a generation of responsible contributors, people who care to give back to their primary community, that is their family.

By asking our children to help us we are empowering them with a sense of responsibility, which, by time, will strengthen their self-trust.

By: Maha Youssuf, Founder and Chief Editor of Mamas’ Guides

And Mamas’ Guides Editorial Team