By Guest Blogger Elisa D. Wallace with Forsyth Family magazine
Typically, household chores are not enjoyable, however these tasks are vital for a home to run smoothly and efficiently. For the most part, the adults of the house take on the larger responsibilities. However, there are plenty of smaller tasks that also need attention. Children are capable to take on these everyday jobs.
As a mother, I easily see the benefit for assigning household tasks, yet not all parents agree with me. Numerous parents want their kids to enjoy their childhood, free of the burdens of adult duties. Also, others may think their children are incapable of properly completing the needed jobs. They worry about kids messing-up laundry or misplacing dishes. Regardless of those opinions, why should one consider assigning chores to their tikes?
Read on for six reasons explaining the strong benefits for assigning children chores.
Reason #1: Chores help build a hard-work ethic. A strong work ethic is a value needed in the real world by teachers and bosses. It’s great to instill this work ethic into a child at a young age. Additionally, parents can choose to reward their child with an allowance. In turn, children learn that a job well done leads to a reward, sparking their entrepreneurial spirit. Ultimately, this has a positive snowball effect, where these children seek a job once they are a teen, then eventually as an adult.
Reason #2: Through chores, children gain self-esteem. Children love the feeling of praise, and this praise helps instill self-esteem in children. This later helps lead to productive adults. Multiple studies show, kids who help at home are more confidant, resilient, and compassionate. Ultimately, these children do better in school, and grow up into more successful young adults.
Reason #3: Teamwork begins with chores. A child’s family is their first true “team”, where the lesson of why one should strive to be a productive member of a team is taught early on. If all members of your family “team” are accountable to each other, there are consequences when you don’t meet each other’s expectations. Learning these lessons at home, where mistakes are more easily forgiven, helps kids develop strong teamwork skills to use at school or work.
Reason #4: Time management is a taught skill. In the real world, no one has the luxury of turning in an assignment, or meeting a deadline, “when they feel like it.” Go ahead and teach children time-management skills early. When older kids learn how to juggle household chores with their other duties—like homework and sports—this helps them set their priorities and manage time. In the end, this helps kids develop into time-honoring adults.
Reason #5: Chores reinforce respect. When a child is required to pick up his or her room, or wash the dishes, they begin to gain insight into all the other tasks their parents perform. In turn, kids become more aware of the messes they make if they’re tasked with cleaning up around the house. In the end, they learn to respect the hard work that goes into maintaining a home.
Reason #6: Life skills can’t always be taught at school. While math, English, science, and history are all readily taught at area schools, the household tasks needed to run a successful home are not. Requiring children to complete certain tasks helps teach them these jobs. Chores like laundry, vacuuming, loading the dishwasher, and feeding the pets are skills that everyone needs in their life. The next generation deserves to benefit from these chores at an early age!
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