Your kids are so full of energy, bouncing off the walls, jumping around, making a right  racket. Then you say the words “cleaning” or “tidying” and within seconds that apparently unlimited abundance of energy completely disappears. All of a sudden they’re tired, unwilling to even move from the sofa or bed as they are overcome with exhaustion. It’s an uphill battle to get them to pick up a hoover or a duster let alone use it. After much shouting and arguing, or even eventual bribing, they finally give in and help. However, after 10 minutes of half-hearted cleaning, you find that they have become distracted and are no longer participating.

So how can you motivate your kids to help with cleaning the house?

There are many ways you could motivate your children of all ages. The first method being a reward system. Figure out what your child wants the most, whether that be money or a hobby such as horse riding. Each chore, whether that be hoovering or mopping the floors, could be  exchanged for a reward.

A second method could be to create a positive environment. For example, make cleaning into a game which will cause cleaning to become a fun thing to do instead of the usual boring and monotonous task many perceive domestic cleaning to be. By doing this cleaning then becomes enjoyable therefore more likely to be done. This works particularly well for younger children, who generally prefer to play games, compared to perhaps the older teen, for whom a bribe may be your best bet.

A third method you can use is to set goals. This works well with a reward system as adults as well as children generally work better if they have a goal to reach. For example, by doing X amount of ironing will be worth a certain amount. This will not only motivate your child but hopefully get the job done quicker!