Editor: Andrea Simanson
Andrea Simanson is a wife and mother of three children, and the website and ezine editor of Successful Family Chores - Putting FUN and ENERGY into everyday tasks! She enjoys connecting parents to good family resources and writes on various topics such as parenting, routines, menu planning, organization and goal-setting. For a regular dose of family organizational ideas and chore tips, sign up for her free bi-monthly newsletter by clicking here.
If you want to avoid last-minute shopping for Christmas next year, pick up your gifts now during the after Christmas sales (many of them last for 2-3 weeks), store them in your Christmas bins/boxes, and you'll be ready for Christmas early next year. Even though you spend now, you'll save money in the long-run. Also pick up your Christmas cards, gift wrap, bows, and gift tags now for substantial savings!
Take some extra time today to do a great job cleaning a toilet, scrubbing a sink, cleaning a floor, or deep cleaning your kitchen.
Make Your Bed
If you're not in the habit of making your bed daily, give it a try this week. It only takes a minute or two to make a bed, and it does wonders for motivation in other areas of life!
Top Chores Tips
Train your child to make his/her own lunch.
With the proper training and supervision, a school-aged child can safely make a sandwich and put together his/her own lunch. At younger ages be sure to supervise properly, but as children get older they can learn this valuable life skill of preparing a balanced meal for the day. If you choose to have children make their own lunches in your family, be sure to inspect for nutrition regularly. Surprise them occasionally by making a special lunch for them and include a note or special treat!
Do one deep cleaning chore per day this week.
If each person in a family of five does one deep cleaning chore per day, that's five per day and 25 per week.
Don't wait until something is really bothering you to clean it.
Just 15 minutes of housework per day can keep chores from becoming daunting! If I swoosh out the toilet once or twice a week, it's much more easy to keep clean than if I wait a month to clean it. So, clean out those dust bunnies, grab a towel and wipe down a dusty surface, or vacuum the edge of a room. Then add that little chore to a daily or weekly list!
Try the "Mom's Choice" or "Dad's Choice" Concept.
On your child's chore chart, make one of the chores "Mom's Choice" or "Dad's Choice." When he or she gets to this chore on the list, he simply asks you "Mom, what is your chore of choice today?" And you decide what needs to be done.
My "choice" chores are often "putting away folded laundry," or "helping clean up some mess." It can be anything that is currently a pressure point for you or your family. Sometimes, I will set the timer for 15 minutes and have one of my children follow me around the house picking up and putting things where they belong.
Have your child help with the back-to-school preparations.
He or she can shop with you for school supplies and clothes. Once you have these things, children can help remove packaging and then label the items.
With school starting up soon, it's time to revise your chore charts. They probably need to be revised to include new chores such as making lunches, getting clothes ready, and preparing backpacks for the day.
Equip your children to do their work.
In order for children to successfully do their homework each day, be sure to stock their study area/desk with necessary supplies such as pencils, paper, erasers, a dictionary, good lighting, and a clean surface area in which to do their work.
Get involved! Help your child with his/her chores for a day.
Remember that transitioning back to school is a change that takes mental and physical effort which is different from that energy spent doing summer activities. Give your children time and help to adjust through this transition.
Chores build character.
Parents, grandparents, family and friends all play an important role in a child's life by expecting him or her to help around the house. Chores teach children responsibility in life and also help them feel valued, loved, and a part of something bigger than themselves.
A toddler needs to start out with simple, easy-to-understand chores. Start with three or four chores like "hang up coat" "wash face" "put away lunch box" "feed the kitty". Once he or she is consistent at doing these chores, add a couple more to the day. Most children in this age group can handle two to three chores at a time for up to three times per day (for
example: three morning chores, three afternoon chores, and three evening chores).
Chore chart location is essential to success.
Do your children have to work extra hard to find out what their chores are? Do they have to walk from one room to the next to see the list of tasks you want them to complete? Consider posting their chore chart in a central location (like on their bedroom door, or in a central hallway) to help them be efficient.
Have a 30-minute pitch in by every family member.
Have everyone pitch in for 30 minutes in order to get ready to have guests over, or to simply get the house cleaned up so you can enjoy a peaceful time together. You'll be amazed at how much you can get done with everyone's help in 30 minutes!
Evaluation is a key!
Do you stop to evaluate each week (even each day) how chores are going in your household? Do you have a list to work from or do you approach chores haphazardly? How about your children? Do they have a list? What happens when they complete the list? Take time this week to evaluate your system and be sure to include celebration and rewards for accomplishments as well as consequences and/or lost privileges for chores not completed. As you take time to evaluate, you will help your children grow in responsibility and succeed in this important area of life!
Be a good example to your children by being consistent in doing your household chores. Lead the way by picking up after yourself and train your child to do the same.