Consequences For Kids
Not Doing Chores

Sad-faced boy and girl with cleaning tools.

If despite all of your planning and motivating efforts, your kids don't get the job done, be ready with a combination of positive reinforcement and natural consequences for kids.

If you've given the kids age-appropriate chores and all you're getting is backtalk or non-compliance, it's time to take back control of the asylum from the inmates.

Here are several easy examples to keep you from looking like the bad guy, and instead place the onus on the doer of the undone chores at hand.

By having consequences for kids ready to implement as soon as the first chore is missed, they'll realize you're serious about the family house cleaning program.

Truth and Consequences for Kids: Add Insult to Injury

Give more chores to the rule-breaker whose duties aren't done; ditto for a child who keeps whining about her chores.

Take Away Privileges

Ground the scofflaw for the morning or the afternoon. Take away his TV privileges for the weekend. Call it the "no work, no play" rule.

Stand Firm

Stand behind your rules - and your consequences for rule-breakers. The advantage of having rules is that you don't have to reinvent the wheel every day. There are no arguments. Simply say, "You know the rule, and you're in violation, buddy! No exceptions."

Use Natural Consequences

This technique requires some restraint and patience. It means that you allow your child to make a mistake and wait for him to experience the natural consequence of that mistake. (Of course, common sense must apply - don't let them do anything dangerous!)

This technique is good for harmless things like putting off a chore for so long that a child has to miss a social event to complete the task by its Saturday due date.

Don't Get Mad

Even if your kids don't do their chores or give you bad attitudes, it's wise to apply discipline but to keep your emotions in check. Avoid anger at all costs. It gives kids a license to misbehave - and sends you tumbling back to square one.