Photo: Chris Tobin / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Kids will fight about everything from what show to watch on TV to who gets to sit in the front seat of the car, and when you’re the parent, it can be really draining. But a mom of four is sharing a hack she uses to keep her kiddos from arguing and it’s so clever, it even gets kids to pitch in around the house, too.
Kellie Henry says she assigns each of her kids a day of the week and that day comes with both power and accountability. “We go youngest to oldest, Monday through Thursday,” she explains. “On their day, they have extra responsibilities, but they also get special treatment.” So on their day, Kellie gets them to unload the dishwasher, take out the trash, feed the dog or anything else she needs help with.
But the kids know that their day means they also get special privileges, like getting to choose their seat in the car or helping to decide what the family is having for dinner that night. “It’s been working for our family so well for over a year now,” Kellie says. It can work for big families like hers, as well as just two kids and it’s great because it sets kids up to feel like chores aren’t punishment since they get a reward for doing their part in the family.