Have you found yourself nagging, pleading, or yelling at your kids to do chores?  Do you feel like you are the only one in your home washing dishes and taking out the garbage?  Then it sounds like you need some different strategies to get your kids to help around the house!  Chores don't have to be a battle in your home.  Just follow some of the tips below and you'll find that getting your kids to do chores is less of a chore!

1. Be a great role model

From early on, kids are watching and learning from everyone in the home.  Be aware of your "chore attitude" and try to remain positive while doing household tasks.  If you have a significant other, make sure that you both participate in chores and demonstrate your cooperative attitudes.  Involve your kids in home projects.  Not only will you spend some quality time with your children, but you'll teach them some valuable life skills!

2. Start young

Have you ever noticed that young children love to push play shopping carts or rake leaves with their little plastic rakes?  Imitating adults doing daily chores is an important part of a child's learning and development.  As a result, it's natural for you to involve your child in work around the house at a young age.  Take your toddler outside and let him or her rake leaves on a fall day, or have your child push the vacuum with you while you vacuum the house.  Let your little one help you sort silverware, put laundry in the hamper, or dust.  Young kids love it when you make chores into a game.  Loading the dishwasher can become a puzzle game, or see who can pick up the most toys in the bedroom.  Throwing laundry into the hamper can become basketball.  Remember, it takes time and patience to guide young children through chores.  So make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to help your child with household tasks, and remember to have fun!

3. Give your kids some choice

Kids are happier to help when they are part of the planning process.  Give kids choice instead of assigning chores.  For example, write chores down on pieces of paper and let the family members pick out of a hat each week.  Or, help your kids negotiate with each other about who will do what chores each week.  Encourage your kids to help each other get chores done.  Teach your children about rotating chores so that the work is divided evenly. 

4. Use allowance as an incentive

Allowance can be a great motivator for kids.  Allowance can be in the form of actual money, privileges, or tokens that can be traded in for real items.  You can assign a certain value to each chore, or you can give a specified allowance at the end of each week.  How you handle allowance in your home is up to you.  Again, let your kids help decide how your family will manage allowance.  And if your system doesn't seem to be working, you can always change your approach and try something new.  Be flexible.  Remember, this is a learning process. 

5. Use a chore chart

Chore charts are great tools for keeping track of chores.  You can print chore charts off the Internet or make your own chore charts.  Involve your kids in the process.  Let them help pick out the chart, design the chart, color the chart, or create the chart.  Go to the store as a family and pick out new markers or stickers that you will use with your chart.  Use a new chart weekly as chores will change and rotate among family members.  You can also use chore charts to help keep track of allowance.  Let your kids mark off their chores themselves, as it will help instill a feeling of accomplishment once their work is done.

6. Set a chore timeline

Talk about your chore timeline with your children.  Establish a reasonable amount of time to get each chore done.  This will vary depending on the chore.  For example, loading the dishwasher needs to be done right after dinner, but taking out the garbage might have a more flexible time.  If your children don't get their chores done, they don't mark off the chart.  At this point, having a reward system in place can be helpful.  If chores aren't done, kids don't get rewards. 

7. Don't use chores as a punishment

Your goal is to make doing chores a positive experience in your home.  When kids see chores as a punishment, they will be more reluctant to cooperate, and you will find yourself once again having to nag and plead with your kids to get their work done.  Stay away from punishing your kids with chores!

8. Praise your kids and try not to be too picky

We all like to hear praise.  Adults are more motivated when they receive praise from bosses and coworkers.  Kids will also be more motivated and excited to work around the house when they are praised.  Catch your kids being good.  Praise how well they do their chores, and notice how well they work together to get their chores done.  Even if you could have done the chore better, find something positive about the way your children accomplished their chores.  For instance, the dishwasher may not have been loaded efficiently, but your child got right to work without you having to ask. 

Remember, if you follow these guidelines with a positive and patient attitude, you'll make chore time in your home a success!