Doing chores can help your child learn to organize time, handle responsibility, set goals and learn skills. But that doesn't mean your child will want to do them - sometimes it's going to be a chore to get your child to do chores. To make things easier on both of you, give your child a reasonable time in which to do the chores. Give him complete freedom to finish the chores, on his own, by the deadline. Avoid nagging your child to do them. If the chores are not done by the deadline, don't do them yourself. If you do, you give the message: "You don't really have to do your chores unless you want to because, if you don't, good old mom - or dad - will do them for you!" If a chore has to be done again because it wasn't done properly, it is up to you to patiently and gently insist your child take the time to do it properly. Remember, it takes all of the preschool years, and then some, for children to assume responsibility for chores without reminders. Just ask parents of teens! But do start early. | 
