On Motivating Kids to do Chores

Lately we have been struggling to get B8 to do his small list of chores by the end of each day. He is like me in that the usual gimmicks don't do much to get him excited to do things he perceives as unpleasant. I remember going to piano lessons and being introduced to the wonderful prizes I could earn for practicing and not really feeling any more motivated. It is like an immunity, and I think B8 has inherited it from me.

So we have resorted to giving B8 dinner only after he has done at least the majority of his chores. This seems to be working although it clashes with that other imperative about always having a family dinner together. Although he has eaten breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack, he really tries to lay the "I'm starving! I can't do anything because there is no food in me" routine on us.

So far I don't think he has actually not had dinner one night, because he finally realizes that we are serious and then he buckles down, but it sure is a pain to have the drama going on about it throughout the evening. K now tells me that even though there have actually been a couple days where he hasn't had dinner, she has sent him to bed with some toast and butter so that he does actually have food in his system.

I think what we will have to do is set a deadline hour by which if chores are done, there just isn't any dinner. You are probably saying, wow they are mean! but I think we are just desperate. Or maybe we just all need more sleep.