More on Chores

Dec 272012
 
Siege of Warsaw by German forces in September ...

Siege of Warsaw by German forces in September of 1939. A Polish family performs their daily chores amidst the remnants of their household furnishings that they have reassembled outside the charred ruins of their home in Warsaw. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Family chores can be a hassle. When parents don’t have a plan, discussions about whose turn is it to sweep the front step, walk the dog or take out the recycling can become a good, long negotiation; sometimes even an argument. Who’s got time for that?

Parents who don’t expect kids to participate in household chores are not doing those kids any favors. Think about it. Are they training kids to expect maid service or helping them to embrace their role as fully vested family members who make vital contributions to the daily operation of the home?

If you first focus on the attention and consistency of the effort (rather than the quality of the dusting) you’ll be pleased with the results. Almost any household task can become a building block for personal accountability.

And a child who grows up knowing how to take responsibility for him or herself has a big head start as a grown-up!

 

 

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Meet the Mayor….

Dec 272012
 

Wow! A friend sent this and I couldn’t resist sharing it with you all. Want a role model for the lifelong impact of hard work and a positive attitude? Meet the mayor.

Room Service or Broom Service?

May 152012
 

Have you ever spent time in a household where the younger family members seemed to view themselves as visiting dignitaries, insisting that parents wait on them in a manner that resembles room service at a fine hotel?

Some parents don’t expect their kids to participate in household management: they feel that providing 100% of every aspect of food, clothing and shelter is an important way parents can help children feel loved and secure. 

Others believe that helping kids get comfortable with home management skills a little at a time is an excellent way to help them grow and become more independent.  They feel:

  • participating in household chores increases connection within the family
  • regularly completing chores helps to create a habit of ‘taking care of business’
  • knowing they make an important contribution to keeping things working within the family contributes to kids’ self esteem as well as enhancing autonomy, discipline and a strong work ethic

And if you’re not sure which end of that spectrum makes sense to you gradually get kids to participate in household chores without adding “Nag Kids About Chores” to your already-full “to do” list?  

Lots of people like a chore chart but find it gets stale.  What if part of the process was allowing kids to choose their tasks for the week?

Another helpful hint?  What about a short checklist to help kids know what constitutes successful completion of the task?  A job description of sorts.  (This also seems to take a little of the sting out for parents with very high housekeeping standards.)

Sure it can be easier just to take care of things ourselves… but what’s the long-term value of helping kids if learning to balance “house jobs”  with the rest of life?


 

English: Broom

Image via Wikipedia


Related articles
 Older Entries  Newer Entries