Getting kids to help clean up around the house is a skill you need to start teaching early. My daughter learned the clean up song at daycare and preschool and it is still difficult to get her to help. As she gets older though, she is going to have to start contributing more in the form of chores.
Chore Charts for your kids
My daughters help with the laundry and feeding the dogs and picking up their toys. And by "help" I mean, my husband and I do most of the work of course. But it makes my girls feel like a useful part of the family.
Right now, it's just helping, but pretty soon, chores are going to be a requirement. We plan on giving our kids an allowance for doing extra work around the house, but not for regular, everyday chores.
Here is what other moms have to say about using chore charts.
Advice and Stories from Real Moms
No charts here
We do not have a chore chart as of now. When I see that a mess needs to be cleaned up, I simply call a kid's name and give them the cleaning task instructions. - Aimee from House of Faucis
Divide and conquer
My kids are each responsible for a different area of the downstairs for a week, and then it rotates. During that time their area is supposed to be clean by the time their Dad gets home from work. We divide it up into the kitchen, family room, and dining room/entry way. - Ticia from Adventures in Mommydom
Magnet Chore Chart from Melissa and Doug
This hanging magnetic responsibility chart would be great. I love the reusable magnetic pieces.
Use something they love to help
We're currently using a Minion chore chart because our son is all about Minions! We've found that his favorite characters are a great motivational tool. As far as chores go, we go with basic things like brushing teeth and picking up toys, but we also add in a couple of more challenging chores such as helping with laundry or the pets now and then. - Donella from Glue Sticks and Gumdrops
Set a routine
We don't use chore charts, we use routines. We have a morning routine and an evening routine that everyone just does from start to finish each day. It includes their chores as well as school prep and hygiene. Because it doesn't change often, we usually don't need to worry about "tracking" it in a chart. - Jamie from Walking In High Cotton
Books about doing chores
Sometimes it helps for kids to "see" other kids doing chores so they know it's normal. You can try a few of these books for kids.
Just a Mess (Little Critter) (Look-Look)The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with ChoresZone Cleaning For Kids Clean 'n' Flip
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Everyone looks after themselves
No. We don't use charts becuase everyone pretty much looks after themselves. They put away their own clothes, make their own beds, etc.. The older they get, the more assinged jobs they have - trash, sweeping - but those are "theirs" so no question who should be doing them (or who didn't do them as the case may be) - Leanne from The Transplanted Southerner
Here are a few more great options for chore charts:
Versatile Magnetic Refrigerator Chalkboard Dry Erase Chore Chart
Age appropriate chores for kids
Free Printable Minion Chore Chart
Parenting books about chores
These are books for parent's to read to help get kids to do chores.
Cleaning House: How To Get Your Kids Begging For Chores: Go From Nagging To Bragging (Parents' Toolbox) (Volume 1)Smart Kids Smart Money: The Ultimate Parent's Guide To Teaching Kids About Earning, Saving, Giving, Spending And Investing Money WiselyCleaning House: A Mom's Twelve-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth EntitlementPositive Discipline for Teenagers, Revised 3rd Edition: Empowering Your Teens and Yourself Through Kind and Firm ParentingTeaching Your Kids About Chores (Homemaking Made Easy Book 5)Parenting Guide: Teach Your Kids About Chores: A step by step guide to introduce your kids to home chores
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With two age five and under I came up with a chore chart system with almost no words. Plus it is customizable – you can add or subtract chores as you wish. 😉
Link to chore charts post: http://www.happyandblessedhome.com/10-minutes-clean-free-printable-chore-charts/ Great to see another #ETHANProject blogger with so many great ideas!
Just today I did a blog post all about our chore chart and system. Right now, I am pretty lenient about what I pay them for, but I want them to earn some money and I was having trouble figuring out a better way. The kids have chores that rotate monthly, and the youngest gets more help from mommy. They earn money and screen time.