Consequences For Kids
Not Doing Chores

Sad-faced boy and girl with cleaning tools.

If your kids don't get the job done despite your planning and motivating efforts, be ready with positive reinforcement and natural consequences for kids not doing chores.

If you've given the kids age-appropriate chores and all you're getting is backtalk or non-compliance, it's time to take back control of the asylum from the inmates.

Here are several easy examples to keep you from looking like the bad guy. Instead, place the onus on the doer of the undone chores. 

It's crucial to have consequences ready to implement as soon as a chore is missed. This immediate response empowers you as a parent, reinforcing the seriousness of the family's chore system and helping children understand the importance of their responsibilities.

Truth and Consequences for Kids Not Doing Chores: Add Insult to Injury

Give more chores to the rule-breaker whose duties aren't done; the same goes for a child whining about her chores.

Take Away Privileges

Ground the scofflaw for the morning or the afternoon. Take away his TV privileges for the weekend. Call it the "no work, no play" rule.

Stand Firm 

Stand behind your rules - and your consequences for rule-breakers. The advantage of having rules is that you don't have to reinvent the wheel daily.

This approach instills confidence and reassurance, eliminating arguments. Say, "You know the rule, and you're in violation, buddy! No exceptions."

Use Natural Consequences

This technique requires some restraint and patience. It means that you allow your child to make a mistake and wait for him to experience the natural consequence of that mistake.

This approach fosters understanding and compassion while still applying common sense - don't let them do anything dangerous!

This technique is suitable for harmless things like putting off a chore for so long that a child must miss a social event to complete the task by its due date on Saturday.

Don't Get Mad

Even if your kids don't do their chores or give you a bad attitude, it's wise to apply discipline but keep your emotions in check.

Avoid anger at all costs. It gives kids a license to misbehave - and sends you tumbling back to square one.


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