My kids have hit squabbling--bickering about nothing, usually something silly, resulting in tattling.
What Works for Me is a Love and Logic strategy--give them jobs. So on Saturday, as I was trying to get dinner ready and they were arguing about who-knows-what, I had Henry move the laundry (take dry clothes out of dryer and into basket; move wet clothes from washer to dryer; turn on dryer) and Harmony unloaded the dishwasher (she stacked stuff on the counter).
It was a win-win-win situation--they had something productive to do instead of bickering, the argument was dropped, and two chores got done without me having to do it :)
For more ideas, visit Works for me Wednesday at Rocks in my Dryer!
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5 comments:
I love this idea! I have two tweens that constantly bicker. I get to a point I won't even allow them to talk to one another in the car-because it always end up to be a fight! I will try this today. Thank you!
I think this is especially effective when you don't make it seem like a punishment. I wrote about this topic in June (see Kids in Training). It worked well for me to 1) sit the kids down and tell them I needed them to start doing chores at a different time than when they were in trouble and 2) not allow one child to begin playing until chore time was done.
Thanks for the post! It is such a good reminder that our kids benefit from chores.
It is amazing how easily they can turn from playing together to bickering back and forth. Great idea!
That's a good idea and something I just recently thought of myself, actually. I think I posted about it yesterday! My kids fight about nothing. One will start with a quiet, "No..." the other says, "Yes!" and so it begins...
Ah, yes. This is a favorite strategy around our house. I love (okay, maybe not really love since it involves the kids misbehaving first) when Dad gets involved and gives the kids major jobs. A couple of times recently my backyard has gotten a really nice cleaning job by formerly bickering kids. ;-)
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