We SHOULD "whistle while we work!"
Goal for this week: show your kids how to enjoy chores!
I'm reading, "When your kids leave you speechless" by Jim and Charles Fay (part of the Love and Logic parenting series) and I came across a thought provoking idea. (well, lots of them, but I'm posting about this one right now.
How do your kids see YOU with chores around the house. When we as parents are tired from a long day of work, errands, little kids, etc we tend to:
1.) Ignore our chores. Dishes pile up, we order out, restart the dryer so we don't have to fold the towels, mail is in a pile...does this sound familiar? We ignore it because we are too tired. It's understandable, but what are we showing our kids?
2.) We complain about our chores either verbally or use non verbal communication. We get up from the dinner table with a great big sigh. Slam open the dishwasher, complain that no one unloaded it yet, yell at someone else to unload it, grumble as you step on a pile of toys that no one put away, etc. Is it fair to complain while we do chores, and then get upset at our kids when THEY grumble when they are told to do their chores?
3.) We pay someone else to do our chores. Anyone have a house cleaner? Maybe they only come once a week? Anyone pay their kids to do the parent's chores? Now, paying your child to do extra chores to help them earn and learn about money is different then paying them because you are just to lazy to do it.
Just think about how you are portraying chores in your household before you tell your child to "change THEIR attitude" when they grumble about their chores.
1.) Let them listen to music as they work.
2.) Let them pick a reward (not money or food) of family time after they are done. Ex. movie night, park time, game night, etc.
3.) Show them that you will also be working while they work as well.
4.) Make them feel appreciated and a big, helping part of the family, and that you couldn't do this without their help!
5.) Pray together and thank God you have a mess to clean up because that's more than some people have! <3
6.) Whistle while you work!
Thanks for reading!
Goal for this week: show your kids how to enjoy chores!
I'm reading, "When your kids leave you speechless" by Jim and Charles Fay (part of the Love and Logic parenting series) and I came across a thought provoking idea. (well, lots of them, but I'm posting about this one right now.
How do your kids see YOU with chores around the house. When we as parents are tired from a long day of work, errands, little kids, etc we tend to:
1.) Ignore our chores. Dishes pile up, we order out, restart the dryer so we don't have to fold the towels, mail is in a pile...does this sound familiar? We ignore it because we are too tired. It's understandable, but what are we showing our kids?
2.) We complain about our chores either verbally or use non verbal communication. We get up from the dinner table with a great big sigh. Slam open the dishwasher, complain that no one unloaded it yet, yell at someone else to unload it, grumble as you step on a pile of toys that no one put away, etc. Is it fair to complain while we do chores, and then get upset at our kids when THEY grumble when they are told to do their chores?
3.) We pay someone else to do our chores. Anyone have a house cleaner? Maybe they only come once a week? Anyone pay their kids to do the parent's chores? Now, paying your child to do extra chores to help them earn and learn about money is different then paying them because you are just to lazy to do it.
Just think about how you are portraying chores in your household before you tell your child to "change THEIR attitude" when they grumble about their chores.
1.) Let them listen to music as they work.
2.) Let them pick a reward (not money or food) of family time after they are done. Ex. movie night, park time, game night, etc.
3.) Show them that you will also be working while they work as well.
4.) Make them feel appreciated and a big, helping part of the family, and that you couldn't do this without their help!
5.) Pray together and thank God you have a mess to clean up because that's more than some people have! <3
6.) Whistle while you work!
Thanks for reading!