- Establishing a routine.
- Setting a schedule.
- Breaking big tasks down into small chunks and being explicit in your instruction.
Let’s talk about that last tip for a bit. Yes, it can be tiring and time consuming to say, “Pick up the toys and put them in the toy chest. Put your dirty clothes the dirty clothes hamper. Make your bed. But your underwear and socks in the drawer. Put your pants on the hanger and put them in the closet. Put your shirts on the hanger and put them in the closet.” It is much easier to say clean your room, but you can see how much goes into actually cleaning your room. That's what can be overwhelming. And your idea of “clean” might not be your child’s idea of clean. Helping your child break big jobs up into little ones can bring rewards quicker and help them feel more successful. Try hanging a chart in the room with the specific instructions or using a white board. Let your child decorate the board or chart to make it more personal. Have your child cross out each task as a accomplish it. This way they'll feel successful every time a task is accomplished. If they feel successful, they’ll want to tackle the next task and feel successful with that too. Try using the same approach with homework if your child struggles with that too. Break it up into smaller, more digestible chunks. Work on one subject at a time or a few questions at a time. Give your child opportunities to succeed. This will lead to more self-motivation, higher self-esteem, and higher trust between you and your child. You just might feel more successful, too!