What strategy do you use to get your elementary age kids to get homework done, bed on time, brush teeth, etc?

Question

Do you use chore charts, stickers, any rewards? What works best for you? What doesn't work? Looking for ideas just to make things run smoother and get everyone to bed in a more timely fashion.

Answer 1

abuse, intimidation, threats, switches, belts. it worked on me, their rewards would be a painless good nights sleep

Answer 2

I would use a chore chart and have stickers.  If they get a certain amount of stickers (ex. 100,150,200) They get a reward.

Answer 3

We just always had a regular consistent routine

Answer 4

please, thats just stupid

works for 5 to 7 yr olds, but not 10 years

let them work it out for themselves, they will thank you for it later. let them take responsbility

Answer 5

We have a routine for our 9 yr old daughter. She needs to do her homework once she gets home from school. Then she can play after her homework is done until 6:30 pm. Then eat dinner, take a bath and brush her teeth. She's in bed by 8:00.

If she doesn't follow this routine she doesn't get to play with her friends. This works for us because our daughter's life seems to evolve around playing with friends.

Answer 6

For homework, my kids aren't old enough, but if you give your child a snack wait until all the homework is done. No video games until homework is done. No TV until home work is done. No phone until homework is done, no toys, no games, no friends, anything like that.

For bed on time, thats tough. Have them put on there pjs earlier. And start to brush there teeth and clean up about 20-30 min before. Have them read when there in there bed, to you or dad or a younger brother or sister. So when the story is finished it's time for bed. Stop all phone calles and TV like 10 min. before.

Brushing of the teeth. What I do is one on my kids is four, so before she goes to preschool I check her teeth like right when she done. If they still look like she didn't brush them good then I have her brush them again. Also sticker charts, get so many stickers get a prize type of thing. What doesn't work is having them pick what kind of prize they want maybe a multi choice thing with 2 options. But not a whole bunch because that shows them that they can do whatever they want when they want.

Chore charts work to for things like cleaning up. What best works for me is all of the above.

Answer 7

Establish a routine.  We start at 730 with baths, then teeth brushing, then a little TV time, potty, then we read, pray, kiss g'night. Asleep by 8:30 Works like a charm.  They each have a special blanket and a special toy and a special  night light they sleep with as well. When they were in school (we home school now) We'd make homework number one priority as soon as they came in the door.  Homework and a healthy snack.

Answer 8

Our son is 11 and has autism.

We use the same routine each night and it works really well, I don't need to remind him at all.

-After school: homework and study

-Dinner and he readies his backpack for morning.

-After homework and studying- he can watch tv or go outdoors.

-He scoops the litter, sweeps, and readies his clothes for morning.

-Shower and brushes his teeth.

We used stickers on a weekly chart when he was younger.

What doesn't work? Allowing him to watch TV or have his X-Box, outside time before homework.

Until last week, we didn't allow him his X-Box during the week. We changed that since his lowest grade on his report card was a 90. He can have it for 1 hour now- and it's exactly an hour of either the X-Box or the T.V.

It works well here...good luck!

Answer 9

I have 2 elementary age kids and 3 preschoolers and a baby and 2 on the way!

The elementary age kids have

chore charts and get to take a special treat for lunch at school each week that they complete their charts completely!

My 3 preschoolers all help me "Fold" laundry and the older 2 who are 4, clear the dinner table.

The baby constantly needing attention always gets to sit with mommy near bedtime.  The older 2 come home do homework, eat dinner, take baths and are ALWAYS in bed by 8:30.