Whether you have one or many children, if the kids are helping around the house they aren’t just helping you but they are acquiring lifelong skills that will help them as they get older. This is important for every mom and dad to realize. And yes, my Type A personality sometimes just wants to “get it done” and not work with my youngster on the task at hand but taking some time to help my kids learn to do a task and help around the house helps in many ways besides getting the room clean or the laundry put away.
Life-Long Skills
Doing chores or helping around the house helps a child build lifelong skills that are important to their success. They learn to function outside your home. Helping you cook develops math skills (measuring), critical thinking (following directions and substituting and doubling recipes), and just plain culinary skills. What mother isn’t proud and less anxious knowing their child will be able to take care of herself or himself and their future families because they can cook, clean, and do the laundry properly.
Self-Confidence
Being able to help around the house develops self-confidence in your children. Your children will feel better about themselves when they can complete a task and know that it was done to your satisfaction. They will feel good about fixing your breakfast in the morning, doing their own laundry, or helping care for the baby. As the kids get older, they will develop a heightened sense of confidence when they know that they can take care of the house or the car or budget. All these things can be taught at home by helping mom and dad buy the groceries, change the car oil, and fix a broken door jam.
Sense of Accomplishment
Your little one will develop a sense of accomplishment as he successfully cleans up the playroom or helps you rake the leaves in the yard. Having the kids weed the garden helps them feel a part of the bigger picture of growing the vegetables and providing for the family and they will feel very accomplished that they were able to weed the garden successfully. A sense of accomplishment is important to continue to be motivated to help and feel confident to do it themselves later.
Sense of Purpose
Another things that can be developed by the kids helping around the house is their development of a sense of purpose. Knowing they have duties can give them a sense of knowing what they need to do to be a part of the family – a contributing part of the household. Giving them chores and duties to help out is a way to develop a child’s sense of purpose. And as the kids get older, they will continue to have this sense of purpose and this will translate into their own homes someday.
There are many reasons to have your children help around the house, the least not being that they should. But imagine all the other reasons that they should help around the house and why you should enforce them helping around the house. Remember – they aren’t just getting their chores done but they are learning valuable skills to help throughout the rest of their lives.
What chores do your kids do around the house?
So excited to read about someone who feels equally passionate about the kids helping out around the house! This has been a debate in a group of mommies as to whether or not children should get an allowance for chores or helping around the house. What is your take on this subject?
We have chores that are part of the “duties” of being part of the house per se, we have chores that are “extra” if you will that they can do to just help and it is positively encouraged to help and praised but not considered a must and not considered one for which they can earn an “allowance” or “commission.” We prefer to consider it more of doing extra things around the house is a way to occasionally earn a little money or a different reward. But for the most part, taking care of the rooms, doing certain chores around the house and helping when needed is part of being a part of the family and not something that they are paid to do. i know many have strong opinions in the allowance versus no allowance debate. Personally I’m not FOR allowances but do like to find ways for the kids to earn some spending money from time to time so its where we landed. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Tawnee recently posted…The Importance of your Kids Helping Around the House
I am so happy to hear that you have your children do chores around the house. I especially enjoyed cooking and gardening with my children. I think it instills in them a sense of responsibility.
Another thing that is especially important is to teach them to budget their money. Personal finance is very important especially when they get jobs, go away to school, or get married. Get them a piggy bank and see them through the process of counting, putting money in the bank ,and watching it grow. They will soon see that is much profitable than spending it on candy and watching it disappear. They won’t only be helping themselves, but will be helping you as well.