Love and Logic Parenting - Chores

Chores at home = More success at school

Ask any veteran educator, and they'll agree:

Kids who are used to doing chores at home…without reminders, without pay, and without arguing…are far more respectful and motivated at school.

So…how's a parent actually get stubborn kids to do their fair share without resorting to begging, bribery, or full-scale warfare?

Listed below are some brief tips:

When you see your kids working hard on a chore, offer to help them as long as they still work harder than you do. This rewards their hard work, gives you an opportunity to bond with them, and ups the odds that they'll be willing to help you when you are old and feeble.

Give reasonable deadlines rather than saying, "Do it now!" Saying, "Just have it done by ________," has an added benefit: it gives you plenty of time to figure out what you will do if they refuse or forget to do the chore.

Don't threaten, nag, remind, or warn. Just let them blow it.

Do the chore for them.

Lock in the empathy and expect them to repay you for your time by doing some of your chores, staying home instead of being driven somewhere, etc.

Learn more tips on this subject from our CD, "Didn't I Tell You to Take Out the Trash?"

Thanks for reading!
Dr. Charles Fay