How to Teach Kids to Help

Designate small tasks even young kids can help with when preparing meals.

Teaching kids the importance of contributing around the house, at school and with friends should start early and continue into their teenage years. Young children are often eager to help around the house, but may lose interest as they get older. Set a positive tone within the home and create incentives and procedures that are fun and interesting for the kids.

Instructions

1. Set an example for your children by helping others often. Children will quickly learn that being helpful can be fun and rewarding. Offer a hand to someone at the grocery store struggling with too many bags, help a neighbor with yard work, or volunteer to help friends with special projects or events.

2. Read and discuss stories with a helpfulness theme. Ask children what the characters did or did not do that was helpful. Discuss how it affected the characters' feelings and actions. Ask children to put themselves in a character's shoes and tell how it would make them feel.

3. Reward helpfulness when you notice it. Keep rewards simple and frequent, such as hugs, high-fives, thank yous, or spending special time together. Give positive reinforcement when children help around the house by acknowledging the task and telling them how much you like it when they help. Talk about how it feels to complete a task or help another person in need.

4. Create a chore chart with the days of the week and each family member's name. Use a dry erase board or a chalk board to easily change and mark finished chores, or use pictures for younger children. Ask the children to help decorate the chart and assign chores to give them a sense of ownership.

5. Create a "Help Wanted" ad for special projects or large chores that don't need to be done on a regular basis. Hang the ad in the kitchen and let the children apply for the job. The ad might say, "Looking for someone motivated and energetic to organize the winter coats, hats, boots and mittens." Determine what the "salary" will be; maybe taking the child to the park, allowing her to have a friend sleep over, or letting her stay up 15 minutes later.

6. Hold an auction at the end of the week for items that were not properly put away throughout the week. Give the owner of the item the first chance to "buy" it back or, if it is unwanted, another family member can bid on it or you can donate it to charity. Accept payment in the form of chores and favors.

References

• Teach Kids How: Teach Your Child to Be Helpful
• Families: Teaching Your Kids to Be Helpful; Myra Turner; 2011

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Be The Best Nanny Monthly Guide