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As a former teacher, and wife to a school administrator, we have plenty of background between us on what motivates kids and what doesn’t, but we hadn’t tried in any sort of organized way to put that knowledge to use. So, we set out to make a chore chart, but with some changes that we’d seen work in our classrooms. I never believed other parents when they’d say that their children gladly contribute to chores, but now it’s actually true. Here’s what worked, and why.
Cook says not rushing it might mean getting a fun dishcloth or sponge that has a character on it, or like she did, having her barbies help with her dishes job as a child. Eliminating the timeline freed up room for imaginary play, increased motivation, and encouraged brotherly bonding.When we filled out our chart, kids “got” to sign up for which spots they wanted, as long as it was mostly equal.