Getting Kids to Do Chores When They’re on Winter Break

Good Chores for Kids on Winter Break

Your kids are home from winter break. Your house is a mess. Yes, those two facts are related, as the kids are staying pretty busy making messes all over the house. Don’t fret. Rather than pulling your hair out trying to clean up after them, pick out some good chores for kids and get them to help you.

Motivating Kids to Do Chores

When it comes to getting kids to do chores, nagging and demanding aren’t the best ways to go about it. Either one can make kids disgruntled, annoyed at whatever chore they’re doing, and highly apt to do a pretty crummy job.

You’re likely to get better results if you explain how doing chores as one of their activities during winter break can help them live happily ever after in the long run. After all, you tell them, when they’re big and grown and living on their own with the love of their life or those nine dogs they’ve always wanted, they can show off how responsible and tidy they are.

The motivation for chores can also come from positive reinforcement. Instead of threatening punishment if they don’t participate, offer rewards. Helping with a load of laundry, for instance, can earn them a trip to the park. Cleaning their room gets them an extra hour of family game time. You get the gist. Use fun activities during winter break as your bargaining chips.

One more tip is to make sure your kids know how to perform the chore they’re assigned. Walk them through it if it’s something they’ve never done before, offering guidance and constructive feedback.

Good Chores for Kids 

Picking good chores for kids means picking tasks that are age-appropriate. You don’t want to ask your 6-year-old to snow blow the driveway or chop up the broccoli for dinner.

• Laundry:
  We’ve already mentioned helping with the laundry, which can include washing, drying or folding clothes as able. Using a natural laundry detergent, like Charlie’s Soap Laundry Liquid, gives you confidence the ingredients are safer for your family and the earth.
• Dusting and tidying:
  Tidying is relatively easy-peasy and good for teaching kids to put things back where they belong. Dusting may be a bit more challenging if you have a lot of knickknacks, but careful kids can get the job done.
• Cleaning bathroom:
  Swiping the grime out of dirty sinks and bathroom counters can be a big help to mom. Again, opt for a natural cleaner to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. And make sure you provide a cleaning rag so your kids don’t pick the new hand towels as their cleaning cloth.
• Feeding, walking, brushing pet:
  Pet-related chores are ideal for instilling responsibility. They’re also good for giving your kid a chance to really think about what it would like to have desired nine dogs in her future household.

Finding good chores for kids don’t have to be complicated. With the right motivation and some dance music in the background, they can actually be fun. Don’t forget to check out Charlie’s Soap natural laundry detergent and cleaner for a gentle yet effective option your kids can use for a better clean.