There are many ways to manage our children doing chores but there are two popular options:
- Tell our children on the day what needs to be done
- Have a chore roster
Telling our children each morning, or throughout the day what chores need to be done will teach our children to do the tasks, it will teach them availability and flexibility but it will not teach them responsibility. For responsibility to be taught, responsibility needs to be given. When our children know what chores they are responsible for they have the opportunity to pick up that responsibility and grow in it. This is ultimately what we want with chores we want our children to show responsibility, to do the chores without us having to nag.
When you have a chore chart you can then teach into responsibility (and even expect initiative) rather than using your time and energy in simply getting the job done.
The chore chart works very well for us. I think the kids are finally trained to look at the chart and do what’s on it for the day. I need to do some more inspections and training, but they have finally come to accept the fact that they do have chores to do every day.