With your kids done with school and home for the summer it can be hard to keep them from laying around watching TV all day. While summer is a time for your little ones to relax, it is also a good time to promote responsibility in children as well. When trying to get your kids to be more responsible it is important to keep a few things in mind.
Make it seem like they aren’t even doing chores
Instead of demanding your children to clean their rooms or vacuum the living room, tell them mommy needs their help with a project. Make the requests subtle and friendly instead of being strict and pressing.
- Ask them to help you water the plants outside because you can’t carry two watering cans at once. Start by doing the chore with them and gradually allow them to do it all by themselves.
- Another good option is to take them with you to the grocery store or your local NJ Farmer’s Markets and request that they help you prepare all of this good food you have bought.
Pick things that they will seem interested in
Responsibilities can be dreadful when we don’t like the task we are given. The same rule applies for children, so in order to promote responsibility in children try to choose activities that they may enjoy doing.
- Ask them to help pack for a fun day out! They will be so excited to Play at a Playground or Park or do any of the other Fun Things to do in NJ this Summer that they won’t mind packing snacks or an extra change of clothes if you ask them to. You can also provide them with a list of items you will need in your purse this summer and ask them to gather everything up for you. It will seem like a scavenger hunt for you child, yet it will still help you and give them a sense of responsibility.
- If they enjoy art, ask them to help you repaint the railing outside. It won’t even feel like work to them, and they may even request to help you again in the future.
Always give positive feedback
Kids like to hear that they are doing a good job at something, so it is important to always be very enthusiastic when reviewing the work your child has done. If children don’t hear comments that make them happy or proud of their work, they may become frustrated and not continue, leaving them back on the couch all summer.
- Even if they may not have folded the laundry perfectly, at least they tried.
- In the beginning, any responsibility is good responsibility. Keep that in mind when telling your child what you think of his or her job.
Start small
While it may be great to have a bunch of helping hands around the house, it’s good to remember that simplicity is key here. Try not to overwhelm your child with too many or too big of tasks.
- Feeding the family pet is definitely a small task, but it still can promote responsibility in children.
- Washing all of the dishes after dinner may be a little overwhelming, so try to have your child wash only his or her dish.
