In the past, children had to do their chores. Their work was the only way a family could survive.

Today’s kids need chores for other reasons. They learn responsibility. They feel a part of the family. They learn to take pride in what they do.

Here are some tips on ways you can use chores to teach responsibility:

• Let your child have some choices. Allow your child to choose whether to walk the dog, fold the clothes or empty the dishwasher.

• Offer choices about when chores are done. “Would you like to walk the dog before or after your snack?”

• Do not do anything for your child that she can do for herself.

• Make sure your child picks up after herself. Once she’s had a snack, teach her to rinse her plate and put it away.

• Praise your child for effort. Say, “Good job!” (Not “Good girl!”)

• Break large tasks into small ones. This is a skill to teach your child for homework as well as chores.

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