Chores – (equal to about 30 minutes of your effort) should be and must be expected for the child to heal. A minimum of 6 days a week, a chore to help the family must be completed before playtime and before mealtime. Simply say, “Feel free to join us for dinner when your chore is finished.” NO, cleaning his room and baking cookies do NOT count as family chores. Doing the same chore everyday helps the child become proficient in life skills and helps him learn how to give, helping the family. The parent selects the chores appropriate to the child’s functioning level. Start with simple chores such as sweeping and let him practice daily until he can do them fast, snappy and right the first time for seven consecutive days. He then graduates to a more advanced chore. Washing dishes is the most advanced chore. He should be proficient at bathroom cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, floor scrubbing, yard raking, etc., before being advanced to a chore that is done after dinner. Dishes that are not washed correctly or in a timely manner disrupt the entire family and can cause illness. Everyone does dinner dishes in our home. One washes, one rinses and dries, one wipes counters, one sweeps, one puts leftovers away and one washes the pots and pans. No one leaves the kitchen until it is all finished. This encourages a spirit of cooperation among the crew.

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