Motivating Younger Kids to Help During the Holidays

Yesterday, I revealed how I was finally able to get my eldest to help around the house in a thorough, but quick way.

However, one reason for his success was my 7-year-old paving the way for him in each room.

Background:

I usually get quite a bit of push back and crying when I ask my youngest to try her hand at a new task.

If she doesn't already know how to do it, then she doesn't have the patience to learn.

At first I asked her to be Mommy's Helper for the next two days and told her that she'd earn some money, too.

That did not do the trick...she wanted something visual, just like Ryan had.

Unfortunately, I only had a $20 bill and no time to go get change.

So with some quick thinking, this is what I did...

Strategy:

1. I put the $20 bill on the copier/printer and enlarged it quite a bit.

Inspired Note: If you are trying this but don't have a copier, take a picture of the bill and send it to your email, which you can then print from your computer.

2. I wrote "Congrats Mady" across it in black permanent marker.

3. I cut the copy of the bill out of the paper and again 9 times into wavy shapes (to seem like puzzle pieces), which made 10 strips.

4. Mady and I discussed what my expectations were of her over the next 2 days...pick up rooms before Ryan goes in to clean them, empty trash cans, dust stair parts, take rugs out of the bathrooms, fluff pillows, and complete other miscellaneous tasks that I give her.

5. Then, I showed her that the strips, when put together like a puzzle, make a whole $20 bill.

6. I told her that for each task she successfully completed, I would let her go pick a strip out of the pile on the kitchen island.

Inspired Note: Each task had to be big enough to warrant earning a strip. $20 earned in one weekend for a 7-year-old is a lot of money.

7. I explained that when she has all of the strips to make the full bill, that means she has earned the money and gets to keep it.

8. I also told her that if she tries to argue with Ryan or complains, then it will take even longer to earn a strip.

Wrap Up:

Much like Ryan's motivational cork board, if this tool works for Mady,

she will have learned how to work hard and earn money,
she will have learned how to work without complaining and endless questions,
she will have learned that she and her brother can work together towards a common goal without incident, andr
I will have had two days of peace and quiet to accomplish the tasks that I have set out for myself.
Update:

This tool worked beautifully for my youngest daughter.

By having the strips on the kitchen island, Mady was able to see what she was working toward all day.

With each strip being a like puzzle piece, she started thinking of her tasks as a game.

At one point, Mady even felt bad about whining and brought a strip back to me and apologized!

Wonders never cease.

Of course, I told her that since she had earned it, then it was hers to keep.

I got her refocused and off she went, happily working side-by-side with her brother and I.

I hope that you give this simple plan a try the next time you are having some challenges with your younger children and advanced chores.

It seemed to work pretty well for us this time!

Here's to another Inspired Minute!