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Parenting on Female First
Generous parents are forking out £400 a year to each of their kids for their help with chores around the house, paying an average of £7.70 a week in pocket money.
A study of parents with children aged 3 to 16, part of the Dance Your Place Clean campaign from Flash and Viakal, has revealed the top ways that Brits motivate their children to get involved in spring cleaning.
The campaign partnered with Kimberly Wyatt to show how you can literally dance your way through dirt and grime during this year's spring clean and make it fun for the whole family. 60% of respondents revealed that they tempt their money-savvy kids with financial gain if they help out around the house, while 44% admit to bribing them with their favourite treat.
Nikita Ganich, P&G Marketing Manager, Homecare UK, Ireland & Nordics said "While it can be tough to motivate kids to help out with household chores, it is encouraging to see parents finding ways to include their kids in the big spring clean. By getting the whole family involved, and with the help of the right music, the right cleaning products, a touch of bribery or even dancing, it's possible to turn the dreaded spring clean into a fun family activity."
According to the survey, a whopping 87% of parents listen to music while they go about the weekly clean. 54% say that a good tune helps to make the task at hand more enjoyable while 47% like having something to sing along to while they work. 30% are happy to settle for listening to the radio while 18% will go for their favourite pop hits to help them find their rhythm. Two thirds of parents have even found themselves breaking into a dance as they complete their chores.
Modern kids earn 54% more pocket money than their parents did when they were their children's age. Despite the high amount, a cheeky 6 in 10 kids today have tried to negotiate a better pocket money pay-out from their parents
While parents across the country are working hard to make spring cleaning a more enjoyable experience, not everyone is easily convinced. According to the study, one in four children (25%) would voluntarily forfeit their TV time to escape helping out, while 18% resort to hiding around the house to avoid their parents' gaze. One in five children simply shirk their duties each time they're asked.
Shockingly, a fifth of devious parents (20%) have had their child complete a bothersome chore, only to pass the handiwork off as their own. Enterprising kids looking to maximise their earning power around the house should aim to get involved in washing the car, which is the best-paid chore at £1.55 per clean. Failing that, clearing the gutters and tidying the garage are the next best options, earning an average of £1.23 and £1.22 respectively.
In a poll of the worst chores to complete during a spring clean, cleaning the bathroom came top as the biggest bore, followed by tackling a pile of ironing.
"It's unlikely that scrubbing the oven will ever be seen as an enjoyable task but it's great to know that households around the UK have been breaking out their best dance moves while they clean their homes to make things a little more fun" says Ganich.
As part of the Dance Your Place Clean campaign, people are encouraged to visit http://creative.bauermedia.co.uk/pg/ and submit their top songs to dance to while cleaning for a chance to win some amazing prizes. For more information on the Dance Your Place Clean campaign, please visit www.supersavvyme.co.uk.
Top 5 Chores We Dread the Most
1. Cleaning the bathroom (15%)
2. Tackling a pile of ironing (12%)
3. Clearing out gutters (8%)
4. Washing the windows (7%)
5. Clearing the garage (6%)
Top 10 Best Paid Childhood Chores
1. Washing the car - £1.55
2. Clearing the gutters - £1.23
3. Clearing the garage - £1.22
4. Washing the carpet/laminate floors - £1.13
5. Washing the windows - £1.09
6. Clearing the attic - £1.08
7. Doing the ironing - £1.08
8. Doing the laundry - £1.05
9. Sorting old possessions for charity shops/the dump - £1.01
10. Cleaning the bathroom - £0.99