Household chores never seem to come to an end, right? Especially if you have kids that make a mess and you have no one to help you out. Well, your house can be clean and shiny and your kids can feel empowered if you delegate chores to your kids. However, it is easier said than done because motivating your kids to do some dusting, vacuuming and other chores is tricky but it is not a mission impossible. Sure, it is easier if you just clean your house by yourself and avoid nerve-racking long motivational talks, or hire a professional and efficient upholstery cleaning company in London to help you with your upholstery or carpet cleaning chores. But, in the long run, you will realise the importance of engaging your kids to do some housework by assigning them age-appropriate chores.
The big challenge of motivating your kids to help you with cleaning chores can be completed by following the simple and effective tips listed below.
Toddlers and pre-schoolers
Child developmental psychologists recommend that the best time to introduce your children to responsibilities like cleaning are the toddler and preschool years. A 3-year-old child will greatly benefit from learning independence and personal control after engaging in a decision-making process. Most young children are interested in cleaning and they will enjoy it if you:
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let them make decisions (whether to toss some item into a trash bin or give away);
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encourage them (by saying that a certain chore is fun and that they are an important part of a cleaning team);
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make cleaning fun (by letting them use colourful cloths or other cleaning products that are safe for them);
School-age children
School-age kids are becoming more and more independent and they will enjoy accomplishing tasks on their own. They will start to develop a sense of empowerment if they are given increasing responsibilities and if they are praised. Some of the chores your school-age kid can help you with include:
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cleaning their room;
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making their bed;
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setting the table;
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feeding pets;
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prepping a snack;
Kids will be motivated to do all the above listed chores if you:
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praise them all the time;
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reward them after successfully completing a chore;
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trust their abilities (turning chores into a habit);
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teach them a routine (making their bed every morning);
Teens
Teenagers are not great fans of cleaning and helping with household chores. But, the good news is that by helping your kids understand that cleaning and becoming an independent individual go hand in hand will help you avoid arguments and fighting. Instead of using an authoritative tone, try to motivate them by being more flexible and:
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talking about their independence and future (they will need to clean their own place once they move out);
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teaching them the importance of teamwork (the more quickly we take care of chores, the more time we will have to do fun things);
