Dr Beckmanns top tips to get your kids to help around the house
With four children I often feel as though I spend my entire life cleaning up after them. Even when I have spent the whole day cleaning the house from top to bottom, I can guarantee that within minutes of them returning home the whole house is upside down again. And don’t even get me started on Lewis’s bedroom who, at fourteen, seems incapable of placing his dirty clothes in the washing basket, or picking up wet towels he has left on his floor.
So when I read Dr Beckmann’s top tips on getting kids to help with chores I felt hopeful that maybe, just maybe, we might start to see some changes around the house!
Turn chores into a game
Children love a bit of competition, especially versus siblings. Entice them with phrases like, ‘How quickly can you make the bed?’. This will encourage them to not only help with chores, but to do them quickly!
Or if you want to get creative, why not make your very own chore chooser. Having a spinning chore chart can add an element of excitement into doing everyday household tasks and encourage kids to participate.
Use rewards
Rewards provide a great incentive for getting kids to help out. Perhaps offer them pocket money for completing weekly chores, or agree to buy them a new game, item of clothing, or take them on a trip to the cinema.
Remember, rewards don’t always have to be monetary. Try introducing a ‘clean for screen’ policy where they can earn time in front of the TV or tablet by helping around the house.
Have a boogie
Time flies when you’re having fun, so why not play your child’s favourite song and have a good dance whilst cleaning the house.
Dream team
If you have more than one child, get them to take it in turns with different tasks, perhaps alternate who washes up after dinner. Mixing it up like this can prevent them from getting bored of doing the same chores.
We have been trying out Dr Beckmann’s tips this last week and I have been astounded by just how well they work! For Eva, Megan and Harry who, at six, five and four, are super competitive, turning cleaning into a competition has been the best way to encourage them to get involved! I don’t think I have ever seen them tidy their toys away so fast, and I have been using this technique in all areas, particularly who can get dressed the fastest in the morning!
For Lewis, cleaning in exchange for rewards has definitely seen the best results. If he thinks his Play Station time is in jeopardy it’s amazing just how much he can get done!
Thanks to Dr Beckmann I think I might just have turned a corner, long may it last!
What are your top tips on getting the kids to help around the house?
