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Good Chores = Proud and Happy Kids
Your grade-schooler's off on his own, gaining
responsibility and independence during the school day.
So don't be afraid to let him go solo on certain small-ish
chores.
Perfect Pitch-Ins
·
Load up the dishwasher.
Now's the time to break his
toss-everything-in-the-kitchen-sink habit. Have him
rinse off his plate and place it (and accompanying
silverware, etc.) in the dishwasher.
·
Accessorize the table.
Give kids table-setting duties. Bonus: You can casually
gab about your day while you cook and they set.
·
Feed the pooch.
Keeping Frank fed turns your kids into careful
caretakers (training for future babysitter gigs) and
also teaches them to follow a regimented schedule.
·
Tee off.
Your child should now be able to put away folded shirts
and other dryer-fresh duds.
·
Pack it in.
Cut down on morning craziness by having your child
restock her own backpack at night, packing homework,
permission slips, and whatnot.
·
Make a clean sweep.
Demo a quick spin with a broom or vacuum. You may need
to supervise this task now, but in a few years, your
kids will definitely be able to do it alone.
·
Be a bookworm.
As your older kid becomes a reading pro, ask her to take
charge of story time for younger sibs -- a great
alternative to TV.
·
Stock up the fridge.
Let your child return condiments (salad dressing,
ketchup) after meals or help you unload grocery bags
after you get home from the supermarket
Make a weekly chart with each day of the week down the
side, and the chores across the top. Let your child put
a sticker or star on his/her chart when the chore is
completed!
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