Q. My 12-year-old daughter refuses to clean her room. She often argues with me, and I am not sure how to get her to clean her room. What can I do?

A. Getting your children to clean their rooms can be a chore for parents. Parents might just rather do the chores themselves instead of exhaust their energy attempting to get their children to complete the task. However, chores teach children not only important skills, such as responsibility and cooperation, but also build self-esteem. As your child gets older, chores can teach them valuable lessons about life and build a good attitude toward work.
Children not only require food and shelter from their parents, but also want to feel needed. Having your child help around the house is a good way to accomplish this.
According to an article on, www.organizedhome.com, "Kids and Chores - Chillin the Chore Wars,'' children need to learn chores simply because they are a part of life. "Housework is an inevitable part of life. Just as we prepare our children for their adult lives by sending them to school, so we need to prepare them to manage and maintain a home. Housework is an integral part of life for everyone, man, woman, and child. In today's busy families, there's no excuse for anybody to shirk their portion of the necessary work." Beginning a program of chores can help your child understand that all family members must work together to run the household.
To get started, have a list of chores and show your child how to do each one. -- Teach one chore at a time, and make sure he/she understands how to properly complete the chore. -- Communicate the importance of chores and how it benefits the whole family. -- Make a list of chores and post them where your child can see them daily and know what is expected. -- Praise your child for completing his or her chores.