I’m struggling with getting my kids to actually do their chores without having to constantly nag them about it. They’re 8 and 11 years old and it’s like pulling teeth every single time. I’ve tried reward charts before but they seemed to lose interest pretty quickly.
What has worked for other parents? Looking for practical ideas that actually stick long-term rather than just temporary fixes. Thanks in advance!
We’ve had ups and downs too! Letting my kids earn stuff they actually want changed everything. My oldest wanted this book series, so she earns money for it by keeping her room clean and helping with dishes. My younger one just wants extra weekend screen time, so that’s what he works toward all week.
Breaking chores down saved my sanity. Instead of “clean your whole room,” they do one thing at a time - make the bed, put clothes away, whatever. Way less overwhelming and they actually get stuff done.
I quit nagging constantly. Now I just check at bedtime to see if they earned their rewards. Took a while, but they usually remember without me bugging them!
Last month I turned cleanup into music challenges with my daughter. We pick a song and race to finish folding laundry or clearing the table before it ends. Sometimes we see who can make their bed faster. The competition totally changed everything. Now she actually asks to do the dishwasher challenge because she wants to beat her time. Kids just respond way better when chores feel like games instead of work.
Oh man, I remember those days! Nagging with two kids was exhausting for everyone. What finally worked? I connected chores to stuff they actually cared about. My 14-year-old wanted weekend hangouts with friends - so Saturday plans depended on getting weekly tasks done. My 17-year-old was all about money for things she wanted, so I paid for completed chores instead of just handing over allowance.
You’ve got to find what each kid values most. One responded better to earning time - like staying up later. The other preferred tangible rewards. I also let them pick which chores they wanted. Way less complaining when they chose the tasks themselves.
Took a few months to really stick. There were definitely weeks I had to follow through on consequences. But once they realized I wasn’t going to cave or keep reminding them, they started managing it themselves. The key was finding motivators that mattered to them personally - not what I thought should motivate them. 
We made chores happen before any fun activities. Kids can’t touch their devices until beds are made and dishes are done. Took about a month, but now it’s automatic.
My child is a bit younger but we’re dealing with this too. I tried a sticker chart and it worked for two weeks, then the novelty wore off. I’m considering changing up the rewards or making it more of a game. Do your kids prefer earning privileges or receiving small prizes? What caused them to lose interest in the charts, and did you find something that reignited their motivation?