‘Pick a stick,’ get a chore done

#Middlebury

Put stuff on a stick, and kids are bound to like it. Think ice cream, candy and colorful pinwheels. So why not chores on a stick?

“Call it a gimmick, but if it works, I say go for it,” said my friend Lisa, a busy single working mom of a 7-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son. She was definitely determined to entice the kids to get into the chore thing without the whining and the all-too-frequent response of, “It’s not mine, so why do I have to pick it up?” Sound familiar?

Her “chores on a stick” germinated out of an idea at an early-childhood class she attended in her community. Write up little jobs that need to be done on one end of a wooden craft stick, decorate the other end with cut-out paper flower blooms and stand them upright in tin can to look like a bouquet. When it’s time to get the blooming chores done around the house, say to the kids, “Pick a stick!” Whatever is written on the stick becomes the child’s responsibility.

Since kids generally get overwhelmed with a huge chore like “clean up your room,” Lisa has been mindful to break up big jobs into smaller tasks. The can of chores labeled “BEDROOM” has several sticks with specific things printed on each one that are to be completed over a period of a few days, one stick at a time. For example, sticks may say: “Put away dolls on the shelf,” “Put shoes and boots in the closet,” “Put toys in bins.” Other cans might be labeled, “PLAYROOM” or “BACK YARD” with specific chores on each stick.

Pick up some craft sticks, decorate them if you wish, label with chores, toss them in a recycled soup can and try out this strategy in your home. “Pick a Stick” is like a game, so your young kids will no doubt like the novelty of it at first, but even more, they’ll feel a sense of accomplishment as they do their part to keep the home organized and humming.

Grandparent Tip: When the grandkids come for a visit this spring, fill a can with craft sticks with something to do together outdoors such as “Visit the playground at the local park,” “See the ducks at the pond” or “Walk to the library,” and enjoy doing the chosen activity together.

Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”

© 2019 Donna Erickson
Distributed by King Features Synd.