Teaching Your Children to Clean.

According to some recent internet surveys children are contributing to the family, learning responsibility, and taking pride in their work. Really?? I That's not what I'm hearing at the seminars I present. Most parents are complaining that they can't get their children to do anything. I think the tests are flawed because parents don't want the world to know they are raising entitled brats.
Ask yourself, how many times have you opened the dishwasher to find the clean dishes you asked your child to put away are still in there? And what happens then? You shrug your shoulders and do it yourself. Why? Because you would rather spend the eight minutes it will take to empty it than nag anyone yet again. Nagging and yelling is a scatter shot approach that has not, as yet, resulted in children who do much of anything unless you ask, ask again, ask a third time, and then holler. Parents have many excuses for not teaching their children to clean. Here are a few of my favorites and my response to them. The children are too little. (If a child can pick up a remote, turn on the television and select a channel, they can learn to clean) The children have too much homework. (You are busy also; they need to share.) The children are too involved in sports. (Parents need to keep things in balance.) I can do it faster. (Just think how fast cleaning could be done with everyone helping.) I can do it better. (Standards are necessary, but you might be surprised at how well they will do in a short time with supervision.) And the best one is "I'm, busy and have to pick my battles." Well, I hope you choose cleaning as one of your battles because it can make a difference in your child's life. If the only thing a child knows when he gradates from high school is "I'm responsible for myself and my life," he will succeed.