Most people would rather shun housework or have someone else do it for them. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to hire housekeepers to take care of these tasks. One simply has to accept them as a part of the daily routine and appreciate the rewards of a well kept home. Since parents also expect their kids to be homemakers in the future, it is best to introduce them to housework at an early age. Household chores for kids should be fun and easy to accomplish so that it won’t be perceived as a burden or punishment.
to the age and capabilities of your child.
Parents should choose household chores for kids according to the age and capabilities of their child. After all, you would want your kids to learn about house work and not burden them with it. Toddlers and pre-school kids can start by learning how to pack away their toys or books after they are done with them. Parents or caregivers can make a game out of it or simply be with the child until the task is done. This can help the child develop a habit of keeping their room or play area clean after every use. Hopefully, they would take this habit with them as they grow old, and parents won’t have to nag their teens about cleaning their rooms.
There are also some tasks where one can incorporate fun and learning. For instance, sorting the laundry can be turned into a play activity that involves a lesson in colors. Kids can name the color of each clothing piece and put them in their corresponding pile. Adults can also show the entire washing process from loading, unloading, drying, and folding to the kids just to give them an idea on how their clothes get clean. However, it is important to warn the kids against operating the washer and dryer on their own. As the kids get older, parents can introduce other tasks like washing dishes, setting the table, sweeping, cooking, etc.
Remember that your primary purpose in assigning household chores for kids is to teach them how to look after themselves and be responsible for their surroundings when they get older. This entails a bit of patience for the homemaker as tasks usually take longer to finish when you are asking kids to do it.
i kind of regret i stopped being passionate about helping around the house when I turned into a teenager. hehe. i guess it’s time to get movin!
This is really ideal – I wish my mom would have engaged me to these things when I was younger too.
Teaching kids to do simple tasks in the house can help them build a sense of responsibility.
Amen to that tokaya, that’s what I instill in my children’s young mind . Whenever they ask me why they have to do it, I tell them that they would benefit from it when I am gone already.
It is nice to be able to train kids while they are young and they are more likely to apply that whenever they get old and on their own. I am lucky my kids at young age right now are willing to help me especially when it comes to cooking or baking. To them it has to be fun and exciting for them to do it. LOL! 🙂
My kids does clean-ups. They pick up their toys that are on the floor or any trash. They know better than to just leave it there. 🙂