Articles From Previous Issues

Balancing Work and Family: Getting the whole Family to Share the Load

BACK TO WELLNESS LIBRARY

An employed woman with an outside work commitment of at least 40 hours a week still spends an average of an additional 26 hours per week on housework. Devising a family plan for housework is a must for any household combining two income-earning adults and family.

Making a family plan for housework

1. Be sure that everyone in your family understands that housework is a responsibility for all family members to tackle.
2. Hold a family meeting. Brainstorm on ways to handle chores.
3. Be creative. Tasks can be divided up in a variety of ways: You can make a list together; then whoever gets up first on Saturday morning chooses a chore, and whoever wakes up last gets what's left. You can rotate chores, or leave them to the luck of the draw. Or family members can choose certain jobs they like best, as long as everyone is satisfied with the division of labor.
4. Include standards and regular evaluations, with consequences if a person doesn't do his or her share or doesn't do it well.
5. Suggestion #1: Even very small children can be taught to help in numerous ways. They can: care for the family pet, take out the garbage, water plants, dust and sweep, set and clear the table, put dirty clothes in the hamper, make beds, keep their rooms clean and organized. Fortunately, younger children like doing chores, so you can easily make a game of it. What starts as fun can become a good habit.
6. Suggestion #2: Whenever possible, make chores fun, or at least less burdensome. Add music; work together as a family; build in a reward or special activity when chores are done. Recognize improvement as well as excellence. Frequent praise and mutual appreciation will help your system work.