We all want to raise our children to be functioning members of society. A wholesome childhood often involves a healthy mix of play, education and age-appropriate responsibilities. Giving your children jobs and duties supports self-esteem, confidence, and independence. That said, you may be wondering what household chores and responsibilities are suitable for your little ones. Read on to find out more.
Toddlers
Toddlers love helping around the house. Allowing your little ones, aged between two and three, to give you a hand with the day-to-day routine can do wonders for their early childhood development, helping them understand the world whilst strengthening their fine and gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination. This is a fantastic way to demonstrate what is known as scaffolding – the concept of offering temporary support to help a child learn new skills by breaking tasks down into easy-to-digest steps. For example, you can practise scaffolding in the following ways:
Cooking – Invite your toddler to help with the cooking by helping them measure ingredients and allowing them to use child-friendly knives to help with kitchen prep.
Self-Care – Allow your toddler to care for their own health and well-being by helping them brush their teeth, wash their face and get dressed. They may not get the hang of things immediately, but they will enjoy experiencing a sense of accomplishment.
Preschoolers
As your little ones approach preschool age, they can start doing simple chores to help them learn about self-care and home management. Children start understanding multi-step instructions at around 24 months; therefore, your preschoolers should have no issues with straightforward requests such as “Put your toys away” and “Brush your teeth”. By this age, most children enjoy having an element of independence in their home lives, particularly if older siblings demonstrate similar behaviour – this will benefit their school readiness as they prepare for the world of education. Consider asking your preschoolers to help you with the following chores:
Tidying up after themselves – Sometimes easier said than done but tidying up after playtime will put them in good stead for school.
Helping in the garden – Gardening can be an incredibly beneficial and educational experience for young children.
Sweeping the floors – Sweeping is safe and easy for little hands to manage.
Bring their plate to the kitchen after mealtime – This positive habit promotes good table manners.
Primary Schoolers
Children between the ages of five and eleven can start assisting with slightly more complex household chores and practise further self-reliance. Research suggests that primary-age children who help out around the family home are more responsible. Furthermore, household responsibilities help teach teamwork, which may aid children socially and academically. While there will inevitably be days where your little ones will fight tooth and nail not to complete their regular chores, consistency and routine are key. Ideal chores and responsibilities for primary-age children include:
Keeping their bedrooms clean – Encouraging your kids to keep their bedrooms clean can sometimes feel like an uphill struggle, but nonetheless worthwhile.
Setting the dinner table – Whether you have a small kitchen table or a 14 seater dining table, learning to set the dinner table is a valuable life skill.
Pet care – Learning to care for family pets promotes empathy and selflessness.
Getting ready for school – Busy morning routines are made much easier once your kids can get themselves up and ready for school.
Putting awaygroceries – Putting away the weekly family food shop can be an enormous task made much more manageable with a few helpers.
High Schoolers
Getting high schoolers to help with household chores can be profoundly tricky. Once your children become young adults, encouraging them to contribute to household management consistently can feel like a full-time job in itself, even with the tempting prospect of earning pocket money. That said, household responsibilities help improve planning and time management skills, vital as your teens get closer to starting college, university and the workforce. Ask that your teens contribute in the following ways:
Dusting and hoovering – By their teens, your kids should be able to handle straightforward household maintenance tasks to keep the family home clean and tidy.
Getting a part-time job – Getting a part-time job can do wonders for your teen’s confidence and self-reliance.
Helping to care for younger siblings – Many hands make light work, particularly when it comes to caring for young children.
Cooking – A love of cooking is crucial for a happy, healthy, and self-sufficient life.
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