Don't like the idea of washing up, making your bed, cleaning the tub and dealing with laundry? Children, these are among the many things that your parents do for you. How about lending them a hand?

Moms and dads, whether you have a housekeeper or not, make your children recognise that they contribute to the mess around the house. They'll think twice about leaving dirty socks on the floor!

For the majority, there is no one around to clear up after them. They must do it for themselves. Not only that, if you are part of a family, then it's a great opportunity to help each other out and to spend time together. Domestic work is tedious, but view it as an opportunity to bond with the relatives with whom you live.

Thriving businesses put aside days for team-building, and those people are not even related to one another. Surely, for a family, this is even more crucial for the success of it. The key is to have a strategy of slipping chores in-between fun activities so that the kids don't get bored. it's also imperative to have a roster from an early age as part of the daily routine.

Lead by example

True, there is not much time in the mornings before heading to school, but making the bed should be the first thing a child does when he/she rises. If siblings find it too difficult to fold the sheets, then they can assist each other.

As the parent, you will have to lead by example. On their very first attempt at making the bed, the children might not know how to do it, or at least, they say as much! Fair enough. Show them, with you on one side of the bed and a child on the other. Then get them to practise.

Have a score chart up in the kitchen whereby each kid gets a point for one chore, and after five, each wins a star! Obviously, this will only work for the young ones. However, hopefully after a few years of doing this, having a tally system won't matter. It'll be one of those things that just gets done.

When children are back from school, they are exhausted. Parents might give them an hour's break before homework. For at least 15 minutes of this time, however, get everyone together to fold the laundry. Use this period for discussing what they learned at school that day, finding out what problems they may be having, or telling stories from the playground. Sorting through clothes is hardly taxing or tiring stuff. It's a good way of having downtime without the kids slouching on the sofa watching television!

Whether you are from a family who bathes first and then eats dinner, or vice versa, there are at least two things with which children can help their parents. One is to clean out the bath after using it. You're in there anyway! The other is washing up and drying the dishes. If you have a dishwasher, then all you'll need to do is rinse the plates and load them in. If you don't, then have everyone chip in the energy. I've seen where rosters require one person on the job, but this is not always deemed as fair if there are more dirty pots tonight than last evening. It could lead to serious sibling squabbles, and then everyone will storm out of the kitchen leaving the mother behind to clean up the mess.

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Tips for ...

Parents:

1. Don't scream at your children to get chores done.

2. Reward your children with hugs and thank-yous when they help with the chores.

3. Everyone in the house, including both parents, should participate in the chores - your children are not your slaves!

children:

1. Play music that you like while doing chores.

2. Use the time you're doing chores as a time to chat and catch up with your family.

3. Ask for help if you're having difficulty with a chore - don't whine for help!