Bribe Or Honest Work ? Getting The Kids To Help Around The House

Do your Children have chores ? Do you pay them ? Is it a bribe ?

The debate continues. Is it a good idea or bad idea to bribe your child into getting them to do something around the house, such as clean their bedroom?

What do you think? 

I think that paying Zach and/or Erin to do work around our house is not a bribe, but honest pay for honest work. I think it teaches my kids that if you wanna get paid you need to work.

For example Zach ( My Son ) is my "landscaper" he mows, does leaves and clean gutters...plus snow removal. I pay him because that is hard honest work, and it saves me from having to do it when I dont have the time or energy.....

I dont believe my children "owe" me so I don't expect them to do work for free. Of course if they do me a "favor" and its not involving money, thats great! and much appreciated.

Do you feel paying kids to do chores teaches them the value of honest work ?

Yahoo listed the top 10 best household chores for kids ......

Take out the Trash

Some kids may need help pulling it out of the trash can and tying up the bag. Also, depending how heavy it is, some kids may require assistance with getting it into the outside trash bin.

Take care of recyclables

This is a great job to give to a child, so they can learn at a young age how important it is to recycle. Children can take the items out to bin and also take the bin to the curb on trash pick up day.

Help with loading the dishwasher after meals

A very simple task that kids can help with, just be careful of breakable items.

Help with unloading the dishwasher after meals

Again, another simple task kids can help out with. Also, watch out for breakables.

Make bed

I would be happy with at least getting the comforter over the sheets and having their stuff animals or whatnot organized on top of the comforter.

Put clothes and /or towels in hamper

Instead of leaving clothes anywhere they feel like it, putting their stuff in the hamper would be a great idea.

Put clothes away after they have been washed and folded

Hopefully, doing this task will help kids take pride in their drawers and they won't just fling things out of their drawers when a certain item can't be located. If they put their own stuff away, they'll know exactly where everything can be found.

Help with yard work

If your kids are younger, some simple yard work would be watering the flowers, helping pick up sticks and other debris that may be lying around. As the kids get older, definitely mowing the lawn would be a great chore for a child to do.

Help set the table for meals

Another very simple task that even very little kids can help out with.

Simple cleaning tasks around the house

Depending on the age of your child, there are numerous chores for kids to undertake. For a younger child, an ideal chore would be to help sweep up messes under the table after meal. For an older child, they can use a vacuum for their chore.