Guest Blog: Make Your Own “No More Nagging Chart” by Jackie Insinger

As a parent, I know how easy it is for things to go from calm to chaos in the blink of an eye. The unexpected happens, our child gets sick, we have something come up short notice. Anything is possible to throw us off! Through years of working with other parents and families who feel the same way, I was interested in finding out the most common pain points in our day.

My research led me to this. The highest stress points are: Before school and before bed.

These are the times when we are either rushing around trying to get everything done on time, or we are exhausted and want nothing more than to go to sleep. These are also the times when we probably wish most for the quiet, yet we get the exact opposite.

As we all know, bedtime routines drag out longer than planned, and something almost always comes up in the morning to push us back further on our time schedules.

Here’s the good news: Your mornings and evenings don’t have to be stressful and chaotic. There is a way for everyone to follow a routine. Will it eliminate the unexpected or prevent every little thing from going wrong? Not necessarily, but it will assure that the things you can control will go smoothly and in an organized way.

And when we feel better about the things we can control, then when the unexpected happens, we are better equipped to handle it, adjust our schedule, and keep going.

How can you do this, you might ask?

I created a No More Nagging Chart to do just this. It eliminates your nagging and ups the accountability of your children. It allows you to delegate tasks to them and lets them take full responsibility for those tasks without you having to constantly check in.

Here are some steps to creating your own No More Nagging Chart:

• Make sure you give your child things they can do on their own that are age appropriate.
• Some examples I’ve used with my kids are cleaning up all of their “stuff” off the floor, laying out their clothes for the next day, and brushing/flossing before bedtime, or packing their own snack for school, feeding the dog and making sure their backpack is packed with everything they need in the morning
• Have them write their name on the top of the chart, and check off each chore for that day as its completed — for morning and night. These will be chores and tasks you’ve agreed on with your child.

Our kids are amazing little humans that can mentally create their own agendas and get excited about events going on, things they want to do. And that’s fantastic! They are their own people, and will therefore, have their own mind.

BUT … they need to understand that they must also do their part to keep the home clean and help us out. And it’s actually good, and healthy, when we all work together!

It’s important to get the kids involved by giving them age-appropriate tasks because it gives them a sense of responsibility and independence. (And allows you to take a step back from the consuming micro-managing). When our children feel more independent, they also feel much more prepared to take on tasks without having to be asked over, and over. Not only is this so important for them as growing human beings, but it’s crucial for us as parents because it helps us to let go a little and allow them to take on more responsibility.

With a No More Nagging Chart, they will have a sense of accomplishment each week if they complete all of the chores they were given. This provides crystal clear guidance for them so there is no more arguing and no more nagging from you!

You can remove yourself from the picture and stop nagging, which will not only reduce your stress levels, but reduce the stress of the entire home. Watch your mornings and evenings shift from stress-filled to stress-free. You can once again look forward to the morning and evening routines, knowing that they will be manageable for everyone!

Jackie Insinger is a nationally acclaimed Family Dynamics Expert and Mom of two energetic boys (and wife of a very energetic husband). Jackie’s life’s work is dedicated to helping families, including her own, become a happier and more connected team.  She has had the opportunity to work with families all over the world, from celebrities to the most successful CEOs, to help them navigate their most important relationships — their families — for immediate and meaningful results. With a Psychology degree from Duke University and a Masters from Harvard, Jackie has built an incredibly successful family consulting business that has positively changed thousands of lives around the globe.