How to Remind Kids to Do their Work (Without Nagging!)
Today I have a simple parenting tip for you.
I know you're working hard at following through when you've given your child a job to do. (I am too! It's hard to stay on top of it, isn't it?!)
We don't want our kids to take the easy way out all the time and leave responsibilities unfulfilled, but it feels like you're nagging them all the time when you're constantly having to remind them to get a job done.
I suppose it comes with the mom territory, but no mom wants to feel like she's constantly nagging her kids.
So here's how I remind my kids to do what they need to do without nagging them:
I make a statement that gives them the benefit of the doubt.
For example:
“I'm assuming you were about to take the trash out, right?”
“I'm assuming you haven't forgotten to finish your piano practice?”
“You were planning on putting that away when you're finished, right?”
This way the statement reminds them and reinforces what needs to be done without either one of us feeling like I am constantly saying “Do this. Do that.”
I know when I was a kid I would get so frustrated when I really was getting ready to unload the dishwasher and then mom reminded me. Here I was all happy that I had actually remembered on my own and then being reminded took the wind right out of my sails. My kids have said similar things to me. (“It's no fun doing it when I don't get to do it without being told!”)
But at the same time I can't just let everything go undone and hope that they'll eventually remember to do it. I have to say something, so hopefully phrasing it as a statement assuming that they are already on it takes a little of the sting out of being reminded to do their jobs.