How To Stop Nagging The Children

I hate it when I have to tell my kids to do certain things over and over again. It gets my blood boiling and I don't like getting riled up like that. So, to avoid the unnecessary sore throat (from nagging and screaming), I started a to-do list for my kids.

I have a white board on my living room wall. So I divided it into 3 columns and wrote the names of each kid at the top of each column. Then I made a list of things for each of them. Throughout the day, we would tick each activity off when it was completed.

The kids really like having the to-do list. I guess it gives them a sense of direction and purpose. It is clear what is expected of them. It gives them a sense of accomplishment seeing all the tick marks next to the completed tasks. They like it so much, they now make their own to-do list. I don't make the list for them anymore.

Mamas Parenting Tip

• Besides stopping you from being a nag, the to-do list is a good time management tool. Don't just expect your children to learn core curriculum like maths and science. To be successful, they need to learn living skills too. Learning how to manage time is a good skill to have.
• Want to convey a message to your children? Sometimes, writing it down gets the message across better and clearer.
• Getting the children to make a to-do list gives them a plan to follow. It gets them thinking about what they should be doing. It helps them to become productive. When children don't have a purpose, they usually end up doing stuff they shouldn't be doing, or wasting time.