Professional movers have plenty of incentives for helping you move. But your kids are a different story. The summer is seen as a time to take a break from school and other commitments. Needless to say, if you’re planning a move this summer getting the kids motivated to help out may prove to be difficult.
Forcing your kids to help out can get results, but they probably won’t be happy about it the entire time. Managing poor attitudes can end up being more work than doing everything on your own. The best way to get your youngest family members on board is to provide incentives. And not just any incentives, the right incentives that will make them eager to lend a helping hand.
Important Notes on Incentives & Kids
Incentives aren’t punishments or bribes. They are something that’s desirable and matter to the person you are trying to motivate. What works as an incentive for one person won’t necessarily work for another. That’s why it’s important to come up with unique incentives for each child. To make this a little easier we’ve provided a few ideas for kids at different ages.
You’ll also need to clearly state the parameters involved with the incentives. Attach rewards to tasks that are done at a certain quality level, just like you would for things like good grades. The more work they do, the bigger the reward will be or the more rewards they will receive. Research has also found that when a kid is given a selection of incentives to choose from their behavior is much more likely to change.
Fortunately, since moving is a one-time thing there shouldn’t be any concerns with incentives de-motivating your kids to pull their own weight in general. However, if your kid is already willing to help out during the move the incentives can end up being a distraction. When this is the case, instead of making the incentive a result of required work, make it a surprise after your child has helped out.
Moving Incentives for Elementary Age Kids
- Allow them to choose one fun thing the family can do in the first week after the move.
- Give them healthy, sweet treats for helping out.
- Taking an extra trip to the park of their choice.
- Read an extra bedtime story of their choice.
- Extra time using a family toy – like the big screen TV or the iPad.
- Choosing the restaurant for the next family dinner.
- Getting to do their own special activity with mom or dad.
- Staying up a little later.
Moving Incentives for Tweens
- Allow them to choose the paint color or décor of their new room.
- Give them a little extra back-to-school cash for clothing and supplies.
- Extra time using a family toy – like the big screen TV or the iPad.
- Extra time with their friends.
- Spending the night at a friend’s house.
- Staying up a little later.
- Getting to choose the film for family movie night.
- Being able to rent a video game.
- Getting to skip one regular chore.
- Having friends over.
Moving Incentives for Teens
- If they pack their own room, you won’t go through their stuff. This is the biggest incentive for teens when it comes to their rooms.
- Extra time with their friends.
- Extra time using a family toy – like the big screen TV or the iPad.
- An iTunes gift card.
- Getting the front seat for X amount of rides.
- Extra time getting to drive the family car (if licensed).
- Getting to skip one regular chore.
- Having friends over.
- Getting to stay out a little later than normal.
- Getting a special haircut or style.
Still need a few extra helping hands for your move? At Square Cow Movers we have teams that are ready to do the heavy lifting for families that are moving to The Woodlands, Houston, Austin and anywhere else in Central Texas. Our movers will do an exemplary job – no extra incentives required!
Original Source: https://squarecowmovers.com/incentives-for-getting-kids-to-help-during-summer-moves/