The age old parenting question. How do I get my kids to do chores without all the whining and complaining? We can dish out consequences. We can coerce and cajole (cajole is a fun word, isn’t it?). Or we can use our imagination and creativity to inspire them and make chores fun.
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Like most homes with children, my house tends to have hidden places full of Cheerios, LEGOs, socks, hair accessories, popcorn, play kitchen utensils, shoes, crayons, and dust bunnies. One such place these lovable things like to hide is under my couches. You can’t really notice the Patton version of the Island of Misfit Toys until you put the footrests up. And then whoo, boy! It’s quite embarrassing. If you’ve ever been to my house and been grossed out by the gross-ness that hides in my living room, I sincerely apologize.
The great idea
Many times I have asked my children to clean out their stuff from under the couches, but you know how that goes. They don’t see the mess. I’ve had their eyes checked. They have perfect vision. Every one of them. But somehow, when mommy needs the floor swept or the toys picked up or the shoes put away, they just can’t see anything out of place.
Well, today was the day that I wanted that mess cleaned up. So I had an idea. I called all the kids in and announced to them that we were going to have a treasure hunt. Amid the excited cheers, I explained the parameters, “Hidden under the couch are all sorts of lost treasures. Your job is to find and claim them. Any unclaimed treasure will be swept up and thrown away.” It really is amazing the effect that the threat of things going in the trash has on their eyesight.
It was remarkable how quickly and cheerfully the task was completed. I swept, they picked up (kudos to the hubby for tilting and balancing the couch up for us). It was much more fun to hunt for lost treasure together than for me to bark orders, them to complain, and all of us to leave the chore frustrated. I was able to get the kids to do chores without any complaining whatsoever!
Mopping too?
I used this cleaning success as motivation to tackle another project. I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed how even spill-proof sippy cups manage to leave drops of milk all over the floor. If not caught right away, these milk drips dry and leave white spots on hardwood floors. It’s hard to find the motivation to mop when it’s all you can do to feed and educate the little people because of pregnancy nausea.
Quick side note – That pregnancy nausea was killer and caused me to slack (or at least feel like I was slacking) in quite a few areas for a few months. Find out what I learned about dealing with mom-guilt and giving myself grace in the post Grace for the Chase – Get Rid of Mom Guilt.
I gathered paper towels and vinegar and called the kids again. I told them we were going to play another game. This time it was called “Broom Sweep-a Mop-a” (see the super fun kids’ song “Boom Chicka Boom”). I wet the paper towels with vinegar and gave each child two, one for each foot, and told them to skate around the floor. They were excited about mopping-by-skates and my oldest broke into the Mary Poppins classic, “A Spoon Full of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down.”
After a while, her paper towels ripped and she started wiping the floor on her hands and knees. I commented that now she was like Cinderella and started singing, “Sing Sweet Nightingale.” The reference to Cinderella made the others want to play the same way, and soon they were all on their hands and knees cleaning the floor.
It wasn’t drudgery. Or even forced labor. It was a game. And they loved it. I didn’t have them mop the whole house, just the living room. So many hands working in one small space made the whole floor clean in less than five minutes.
We had fun together, the living room was now spotless (for a few minutes at least – do anyone else’s children like to immediately bring all. the. toys. and play in the cleanest room in the house?), and I was able to relax peacefully and enjoy watching them play without staring at the milk drips and the dust bunnies. As long as I didn’t glance toward the kitchen……
The activities mentioned here were successful with children ages 2-8. Turning chores into games and keeping them short makes for an actually enjoyable cleaning experience. Also, working alongside your kids instead of giving orders and leaving the room makes for fun bonding time and models good technique. If you use your imagination, you can get your kids to do chores without complaining too!
I made my own customizable chore chart that I use with my kids. It is great for assigning daily, weekly, and monthly chores. It is perfect for displaying the kids’ responsibilities in a way they can see and understand. You can download and print it here!
I have so many tested-and-tried activities for kids of all ages listed by age group and category here on the activities page. Parenting can be so isolating at times and full of guilt. I have lots of parenting encouragement and camaraderie as we live in the trenches together on the Moments page. Or check out the Recipes page for some of my family’s favorite recipes.
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Let’s try to keep it simple, keep it quick, and keep it fun! Have you tried any creative ways to get your kids to do chores without complaining? How did it go? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
