Tips for Getting Your Kids to Take Out the Garbage without Complaining
Posted on: 12 November 2015
Taking out the garbage is never a fun task. If you have kids or teenagers, chances are good that you are more than willing to assign taking the garbage out as one of their chores so that you don't have to do it. However, your kids probably dislike having to deal with the garbage as much as you do. Here are some tips for getting your kids to take out the garbage without complaining.
1. Keep Track of Who Takes It Out
If you have more than one elementary-school child, make it a competition regarding who can take the trash out the most times within the course of a two- or three-month period. For the first month, have your children check how full the garbage bag is if they need to empty it midweek. If the garbage is full enough to be taken out, let them do it. During the following months, expect them to know the appropriate amount of garbage to be taken out.
In order to keep track of who takes it out, have the child that just took out the trash take a picture of the empty garbage can with the bag replaced and send it to you with his or her name written on the photo using a photo editing tool. Store all pictures that your children send you related to this task in a single folder, or make a folder for each child. At the end of the designated period, count up who has the most photos and give that child a reward. This reward could be taking your child and a friend out for ice cream or going to see a matinee.
The advantage to this method is that you will be able to keep track of who is taking the trash out easily and it will encourage your kids to take initiative with this particular chore so that you don't have to ask them.
You could even talk to a company that specializes in garbage removal, like Fly By Nite Disposal, to learn more about waste management. Then you could teach your kids how the process works so they're more interested in being a part of it.
2. Make Taking Out the Trash Part of Privilege Qualifications
Your teens want things from you, such as use of the car, more data for their phones, and money to take their date out to see a movie. Make taking the trash out without complaining part of what your teens need to do in order to qualify getting these privileges. If your child complains, warn him or her that you don't want to hear any complaints. If he or she continues to complain, tell your teen that he or she will not be able to use the car or get any other privileges this week due to his or her complaining.
Share
