10 tips to get your kids to do household chores

8. Be realistic and flexible about your expectations.
Kids are busy these days with schoolwork and extracurricular programs, so pick your priorities so they don't have too much to do. For instance, have them focus on tidying up the bedroom or the laundry room. Tweens and teens can also help out in ways that aren't too time-consuming, such as clearing the table, taking out the garbage or watering the garden. Beware: Bedrooms are an issue unto themselves, so you need to keep things in perspective. Sometimes it's best just to close the door to a teen's room, and other times it's better to pitch in and help clean it.

HINT: Your teen won't allow you to help if you comment about stuff you don't approve of in his room, such as posters, so simply make the experience as pleasant as possible for both of you.

9. Lend a hand.
If you see or sense that your child is overwhelmed with a chore, help him out.

10. Lower your standards.
For instance, accept that the bathroom won't be as immaculate as when you clean it yourself.

Readers' tricks
Collect all 15 of 'em!
• We give each of our children different chores to do, and every time they do their chore we give them a sticker for their calendars. When they've collected 15 stickers, they can pick something for us to do as a family, such as go to a movie. My kids get so excited about the idea of choosing a reward that they look forward to their chores and we no longer have fights about them.

Sweep them off their feet
• To get my four-year-old on the right track, I put on some dance music and bop while I'm folding laundry or sweeping the floor. She loves to join in and can't wait until choretime to have fun with Mommy. I also get her toy versions of my tools, such as her own broom, so she can sweep along with me.

Mom and Dad are the best reward
• We explained to our six-year-old daughter that the more she helps out around the house, the more time Mommy and Daddy will have to play with her or to go for a special treat. The next day, she did all her chores, as well as some extra ones, without even being asked to do them!

It's a family affair
• We put chores in writing and make everyone responsible for his or her job, including us, then we all check off chores when they're done. When it's clear that everyone's part is important, our children often take pride in doing their part.

Makin' a list
• I keep an ongoing list of "little jobs" that need to be done. On the nights that my teens aren't working, they have to pick a job off of the list. I try to pick jobs I know they would like to do. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and helps me out.