Taking a Tip from Mary Poppins

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How can the babysitter motivate children to do their chores?

Taking a Tip from Mary Poppins

When in charge of children, you may notice that they tend to act differently once their parents leave the room. They want to see what you will do next. Some children may even rebel against you when it comes to doing the chores their parents assigned them. The best way to encourage them to behave when their parents are out is to turn the mundane into something fun.

Take a hint from Mary Poppins and her "spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down" idea. This is especially helpful with younger children. If they are told to clean their rooms, make a song out of the chore or silly rhymes to pass the time. You could host races to see who can pick up their toys first. Turn making the bed into a contest to see who makes their bed better. Give out stickers or a button to the winner of each contest, or promise them some time at the playground.

When it comes to siblings, children are natural competitors and may be even more motivated when they are at odds with bro or sis. If you are watching a child alone, you can either help to move them along, or compete against them. Of course, if your goal is to get them to do it, try not to make it so obvious that you let them win the dishwashing derby.

   

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