My daughters are getting older. They're 14 and nearly 12. Last fall, my oldest brought herself a cell phone! They have social lives, bank accounts and even jobs now. Older kids present different parenting challenges. Here's my new method for getting them to do their chores. If I ask them and the task doesn't get done in a timely manner - I do it, and then...
Call it reality discipline. As adults, we either do the things we need done or we hire others to do them. I'm just teaching that truth to my girls now. They come home to find the chore done and a my bill on their beds. (I only accept cash.) How do I keep them from taking of advantage of me and letting me do all their chores? I charge a lot and I've told them that each time they "hire" me, my price goes up. They'd really rather keep their hard-earned cash than have to pay me with it. Works for me.
Tons of great ideas over at Rocks in My Dryer.
22 comments:
Great idea! I often hire dc to do jobs that I can't get to...I like the idea of billing them for those incomplete assigned jobs!
I love this idea! My kids are 8, 6 and 3 right now, but I'm going to file this idea away in my brain for when they are older! Thanks!
Oh Ann... I'm so stealing this one. I was just saying to my kids last night that I'm not asking more than once for them to do anything. A consequence like this will start to add up...
Like it.
I have another friend who charges her kids for every time they leave something lying around--
She puts it away and the girls have to pay to get it out of hock.
I will have to keep this great idea in mind...
Oh my goodness...I love this idea! When my kids get older I am totally doing this! You are brilliant! :) Thanks for sharing!
What a FANTASTIC idea. I'll have to keep this one on file for when the Tominator gets older.
Interesting idea. Works if your kids have money. Half of mine are too young, yet. They have to do chores and have good behavior to get money, since we have little to spare and many kids.
Maybe a bill for an alternate thing, like so many minutes of play time or so many minutes early to bed would work instead.
Brandy of The Building Brows
What a great idea. My baby is only 2 now but I like this for the future!
Great tip. I will keep this in mind as my children get older. Right now they enjoy doing chores and beg to do them!
Nikki
Excellent way to learn responsibility!!!
What a great idea! I am so going to use this with the youngest! I might make myself a pretty penny! :v)
I love it and have done it before (but not with such a gorgeously typed bill). When my son was younger and he wouldn't clean his room his payment wasn't in money--it was that I could do whatever I wanted with his room--including throwing stuff away.
I imagine that as my kids get older and run off to do things, leaving chores undone, I will be doing this more often.
Great idea! I hope I can remember that for when my kids get older :)
Oh my goodness, that's brilliant! I'm totally going to do that. Thanks.
You are brilliant!!!
Reality discipline at its finest. It won't be long until I can employ this method. Can't wait to see the looks on their faces...
...is that bad?!
ahahahahahaa I love it, it's brilliant!!!
One question. Do you ask your daughters to make their beds themselves? It's part of my boy's daily routine -- but other Mom's thought that was too harsh. I'm stealing your idea too -- once I figure out what I'm able to charge for!
Thanks!
This is so effective! I do this myself. Good one!
Now that is pure genius!
I am WAY behind on my blog reading after dealing with the "death virus" for the past three weeks, but I had to tell you that this post had my husband and I laughing out loud. Such a perfect solution to an age old problem! You can bet that a bill will be produced the next time something like this comes up at our house!!
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