Focus Magazine of SWFL Hot Summer Looks | Page 147

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Chores
Made
Easy

Chores by age group:
As children grow older, their abilities change
and their responsibilities should adjust
accordingly. Here are some examples of
chores that are appropriate for each age
group.
Children 2 to 3 years old:
• Put toys away
• Stack books and magazines
• Place dirty clothes in hamper
• Fold washcloths
Children 4 to 5 years old:
• Feed pets
• Make the bed
• Water houseplants
• Empty wastebaskets
Children 6 to 7 years old:
• Sweep floors
• Set the table
• Replace toilet paper roll
• Rake leaves
Children 8 to 9 years old:
• Load dishwasher
• Put groceries away
• Walk the dog
• Vacuum
Children 10 and older:
• Mow lawn
• Prepare a simple meal
• Clean countertops
• Do the laundry

Family Features

Chores are an important part of teaching
children about responsibility. By encouraging kids to be accountable for completing
everyday chores, even at an early age, you
might be surprised at their willingness to
share in the household duties.
Here are some tips from the Walgreens
Ology™ team on how to get the kids
involved in creating a happy, healthy and
clean home.
Stick to a routine:
Consistency is a key component in motivating children to follow through with
chores. Make sure to stay on schedule so
your kids don’t get into the habit of procrastinating until the following week.
Keep expectations reasonable:
Go in knowing that your kids aren’t going
to clean in the same way you would. Be
sure to encourage them along the way for
their efforts and resist the urge to criticize
or redo the chores they’ve completed.
Request specific actions:
Make sure you give them clear and specific
tasks to complete. For example, rather
than telling your kids to put their clothes
away, ask them to fold their clothes and
put them in the dresser drawers or hang
them in the closet.

Use family-friendly cleaners:
Fight everyday household messes with a
cleaner that’s safer for your family and paper towels that are better for the environment, like Ology All-Purpose Cleaner and
100 percent tree-free paper towels. The
cleaner’s plant-based formula is free of
harsh solvents, dyes, ammonia and artificial
fragrances. Even if your child is too young
to clean the countertops themselves, you
can feel good about using these cleaners
that contain no harmful chemicals when
you children are close by.
Use a reward chart:
For kids, especially the younger ones, a
visual reward chart is a great motivational
tool and helps children to feel a sense of
accomplishment. Purchase a set of gold
stars or fun stickers, and allow them to
mark off each chore on the chart once
finished. After a certain number of chores
are completed, offer a small reward for
their hard work, such as a movie of their
choosing or a special dessert.
Give ample praise:
Even more important than material
rewards, is the satisfaction of a job well
done. Make sure to give lots of encouragement along the way as well as positive
feedback once the chore is complete.

www.walgreens.com/ology
FOCUS of SWFL 2014 147