I’ve been trying to encourage my kids to do their chores more regularly, but I’m not sure if I’m doing a good job with the feedback. What are some effective ways to praise them when they finish their tasks? I don’t want to overdo it, but I also want them to feel good about helping out. Any tips from other parents?
With my kids, I found keeping it simple works best. A quick ‘thanks for helping’ or ‘nice work’ usually does the trick.
Sometimes I mention how it makes things easier for everyone. No big speeches, just acknowledging their effort.
I’ve been trying to figure this out too with my 5-year-old. Sometimes I’ll say ‘Great job putting your toys away!’ but I worry it sounds fake if I say it too much.
Recently, I started being more specific, like ‘I noticed you sorted your blocks by color. That makes them easier to find next time!’ It feels more natural.
What about pointing out how their chores help the family? I’m curious if other parents have tried this approach. Does it work better than general praise?
I’d love to hear what’s worked for others, especially with younger kids. It’s tricky to find the right balance!
I’ve been experimenting with my 11-year-old lately. One thing that’s been working is asking her opinion after she finishes a chore. Like, ‘How do you think the living room looks now?’ or ‘What was the hardest part of doing the dishes?’
It gets her thinking about the task and opens up a conversation. Sometimes she even suggests ways to make the chore easier next time. I find it’s a more natural way to acknowledge her efforts without going overboard on praise.
Hey there! I’ve been through this with my two kids. What worked for us was keeping it low-key but genuine. I’d often just say ‘Thanks for taking care of that’ or ‘I appreciate your help.’
As they got older, I started pointing out how their work made a difference. Like, ‘The kitchen looks great. Now we can relax this evening.’ It helped them see the impact of their efforts.
One thing that surprised me was how much they liked it when I noticed small details. ‘You organized the shoes by color? That looks really neat.’ It showed I was paying attention.
Remember, every kid is different. My oldest liked verbal praise, while my youngest preferred a high five. It took some trial and error to figure out what resonated with each of them. 
In our house, we’ve found a mix of approaches works well. With our 10-year-old, we started a simple chart where he can put stickers when chores are done. He loves seeing it fill up!
For our younger one, we make it more of a game. We’ll race to see who can put away more toys in 2 minutes. It’s fun and gets the job done.
I try to notice when they do things without being asked. A quick ‘I saw you helped set the table, that was thoughtful’ goes a long way.
We also talk about how their help makes family time possible. ‘Now that the living room’s tidy, we can all watch a movie together!’ It helps them see the bigger picture.
Every kid’s different though. What motivates yours?