Delegating responsibilities is not just for the office. Split up the chores and daily activities from cooking to cleaning and everything in between.
Let everyone choose their Chores: As a child I would rather cook than hand wash the dishes. By giving everyone a choice of household chores, you empower them to make a decision and improve their commitment. We all have a more positive attitude when we have a lifestyle choice.
Teach everyone how to do the Chores: Be inspirational and present chores as ways to learn. When you learn in a leisurely way, you grow closer in the shared event. Introduce chores as fun, “Would you like to learn how to…?” To this day, I fondly remember how Mom taught us to make Paella giving us our first experience of the joy of cooking.
Give Positive Motivational Reinforcement for a job well done: We all like to be complimented and gain pride in a job well done. If the job is not perfect, find the parts of the chore that are completed well and praise that part. Kids love tokens, gold stars, charts and stickers. Give age appropriate rewards for a successful job.
Cooking: In our family, we all cooked on a regular basis. Not only did we learn to cook, but food was a social event shared with gratitude and delight. Mom started us of at a very young age by teaching us to make brownies from scratch, a Sunday pot roast and other simple things. To this day, we all take great delight in sharing our recipes and fond memories.
Dishes: Cleaning up together is such a breeze when everyone participates.
The Ten-minute Tidy-up: After a fun-packed weekend with the kids, the house can look like a bomb went off! The solution, the ten-minute tidy up, with a family reward at the end. Have everyone scurry through the house putting a way the clutter. Rewards can range from a movie everyone wants to see, with popcorn or any special treat.
Household Cleaning: Everyone gets to have fun, split into teams; the go team vacuum, the fluffy-duster team, the spick and span tidy-up team. The key is to do it together as a family room by room. For young kids hide treats, stickers, and quarters under knick-knacks so they get rewards as they clean, it becomes a fun scavenger hunt rather than a chore. Hide some bills for the adults or better yet a new book.
Laundry: Everyone has a basket in his or her room or a designated place to put dirty laundry. It helps if you have separate bins for whites and colors. The floor is not the solution! Instead of a washing day, do a little at a time. Create games to play with younger kids from find the lost sock, to learning how to separate colors by tossing them into baskets. The key is to have fun. Teach older kids and your partner how to use the washer and dryer and make them responsible for their clothes.
Gardening: Share the joy of nature with all the family, whether you have a great big yard or a deck. From selecting plants to potting and planting seeds, sharing knowledge, and watching plants grow is a magical adventure, that will touch you soul and energize your spirit.
The Weekly Menu and Shopping: As a family, plan your meals and create the shopping list together. This is a great time to talk about healthy eating, from super foods rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals for a balanced diet of natures foods and healthy living lifestyles. A shopping list will save you time, money and multiple trips to the store.
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