There is something about this picture that gets me thinking about Tom Sawyer painting that fence. Okay, so this is a boy – my son to be exact – painting a wall and not a fence. Regardless, I do love this picture because it shows my son doing something he loves to do; working and doing productive tasks around our house. Based on conversations I have had with other moms, I have realized that many moms today do not allow or expect their children to perform real chores around their homes. I do not understand this way of thinking. Why should children be excluded from contributing to the upkeep of the household? How are parents preparing their children for adult life if they are not equipping them with basic household skills? This is something each family has to work out for itself, but I thought I would share several reasons why your kids should do chores.
- Doing chores teaches valuable skills. A mom recently told me that she does not allow her school-aged children to help fold the laundry because they will not do it right and the laundry will be a mess. My reply to her is that they have to learn to do it right, which can only be done by trying. Allowing them to do a chore allows them to master that chore.
- Doing chores teaches responsibility. Requiring your children to do chores allows them to develop responsibility that they will take into adulthood. Children learn that they are responsible for certain tasks and that they must complete those tasks. After a while responsibility becomes a habit.
- Doing chores instills the values of cleanliness, hard work, and order. Expecting and teaching these values will likely develop them in your children.
- Doing chores can build self-esteem. Think of how you feel when you accomplish a task. Completing tasks can give your child a tremendous sense of accomplishment that they will likely want to repeat.
- Doing chores teaches time management and self-discipline. This is quite important as many adults have not mastered these skills yet. Being able to plan the time to complete chores and follow through on their completion is a valuable life skill.
- When children do chores, parents do less chores. On its surface this sounds like a benefit for parents only. However, parents with more time and well run houses are generally less stressed and have more time for the important things in life. As the old saying goes, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”
About Janice
Like mother like daughter!! It can only do them good! Great job
Thanks. <3
Definitely!!! I was raised by my Grandmother and she never made me do chores. Now I despise them as an adult. It was quite a shock when I had to start cleaning my own house!! 😉
I bet it was. 🙂
I agree completely. I try to get my kids to do chores and my mom thinks I’m being mean. Mean because I teach them to clean up after themselves and not be pigs? Their spouses will thank me one day. You kids are so cute btw!
Thanks!
Someone once told me that if you get called mean you must be a good mom lol.
Excellent points! I usually have my kids help alongside whatever I am working on – I know eventually that means they will be able to do it on their own. It does take longer when they help, but I know that it is part of teaching them responsibility, and it will only help them in the long run.
Your post captures the issue perfyctle!
This is a great reminder for mothers. It is so important for the children to work around the house.
Blessings
Mrs. White
The Legacy of Home
My daughter (20 months) LOVES to do chores, especially sweeping. Of course she creates about as much mess as she helps, but I notice she’s getting better and she really will throw away stray trash on her own (thankfully she yells “tass-tass” the whole way so I would catch anything she shouldn’t throw away :D) and put dirty utensils in the sink all on her own!
Awesome post! StumbleUpon led me here and I’m glad it did. My husband and I have been realizing our 4.5 year old needs more responsibility around the house. My sister has 4 kids, and is teaching all of her children to be very hard workers. I actually just asked her if she’d write me a blog post on age appropriate chores and such for kids. 🙂
Thanks! I think chores are so very important for the kiddos.
AMEN sister. Our grown children are evidence that it is worth it!
I have a couple of close friends that don’t have their kids do anything around the house either. I am quick to start having them do chores. My kids are 5, 3, 3 and 1. Obviously the baby doesn’t do anything. But the others will race through their normal chores (cleaning toys, their rooms, etc.) to have first grabs for the “fun” stuff (sorting laundry, helping with the dishes and helping with the floors).
Chores are an amazing way to teach them to be responsible and clean!
I agree with everything you said. My parents always had my sister, brother and I do chores as we were growing up and now we are all responsible adults 🙂
I so agree! Giving your kids chores helps them in the long run… They will learn skills and responsibility.
We grew up doing chores and I think it taught me a lot. If we ever have kids they will have chores for sure.
I So agree, it teaches them responsibility and how will they learn in life if not taught now?
We just started chores with all 3 kids and I’m amazed at how well they are keeping up and helping around the house.
I think doing chores is not only vital for kids’ development but it’s a necessary part of their childhood! Not only does it help the parents but it really does help the kids in the long run.
You made a lot of great points. I always felt like having my son help with the chores helped to teach him about responsibility and team work.
My kids learned it was part of being in the family to help out and do things. That’s why we didn’t tie allowance to it.
We grew up doing chores and knowing why we needed to help around the house. I think this is a great reminder of the importance of doing work in the house and outside.
My kids did chores, and I think it really helped my daughter when she went off to college. She already knew how to clean and do laundry.
We are just starting my son on chores. I think its important because it gives them a sense of accomplishment.
I am pushing my kids now more than ever to help around the house, but they are teens and should be helping. Growing up it seemed time slipped by, they were always busy with homework and sports, and I felt guilty making them do chores when they had so much homework to do. During the summers we would make a chart, but we didn’t stick with it. Now I’m paying for it. Yup, chores are very important.
I agree – kids need to know and feel they are an integral part of their family and pitching in is part of creating that feeling!
These are all great reasons!! We just started them with our son.
Great tips and totally agree..kids have to learn and help out…. mine all have their own chores around the house and it works well
I completely agree with your list. Chores teach kids so much….from the meaning of responsibility to the benefits of teamwork.
Our kids have had chores since they were 18 months. Even helping feed pets! We don’t do allowance for chores either – there are extra things they can do for money but most things are because they live here
All of my children have their own chores. The oldest two get the harder chores where the youngest get easier chores. It works!
My kids all have chores. Even the 4 year old. They are all age appropiate but I think it is important