Should kids do chores at home?

 While we've been talking about great picture books bout homes, and even drawing a fun whimsical house, (check out this post) I started to think about how important it is to help kids see the value of taking care of the home they live in. I think most of us would agree that kids should do chores at home. How do we as parents get them to begin helping around the house...in other words, doing household chores?

Training your kids to help around the house has a couple of big benefits. Obviously, it teaches them to be strong, responsible adults who can take care of themselves. More importantly, learning to clean the bathroom, pick up their toys, etc. teaches them that they are part of something bigger than just themselves--a family--and that doing basic household chores is a big way to honor and care for each another. 

In the years we've raised our 5 adult kids, we've learned some tips about helping kids do chores at home that I wanted to share today with you. 

Here are 3 tips for training kids to help at home:

1. Talk about the why: We help each other because we are a family and because we love each other.  Discuss: what would happen if no one in our family did any chores, such as taking out the trash or doing the dishes? What would happen if no one in our neighborhood or town ever did? How do you feel in a messy room? How can we work together to help each other to achieve a good space for everyone in our family?
            2.  Make visual reminders of the what: Kids (and adults) need to be reminded of what responsibilities are theirs to own. A system for seeing it is very helpful as we all can get easily distracted and forgetful as human beings. 
   

• Make a list, a chart, or learn some songs to remind them each day what to do. We used to chant “brush teeth, make bed, get dressed!” before school each day. As the kids got older, (some could read and some couldn’t,) we wrote or drew pictures on index cards and kids could choose on Saturday which cards to do until the cards were all gone. 
• Choose some chores to work on just because we are a family and we honor one another--it’s up to you if you want to also choose some chores to let them earn money to teach money management.

         3. Show them how: We often expect children to just know what we mean by “picking up” or “cleaning the bathroom,” but neglect to show them what exactly we require. Kids need more than one reminder or instruction. The younger the child is, the more we will work alongside them until they are able to complete the task independently.  Even when we think they are old enough to do the chore independently, “kids don’t do what is expected, they do what is inspected.” (don’t know who originally said that, but in my experience, it is true!) 

• The Montessori Notebook website has a list of age-appropriate chores you can have your kids do. Point out the reward of completing their tasks- “Now that you’ve put your crayons and paper away, you will be ready to create a picture next time you feel like it!” “We put things away so we can find it next time!” 
• Give natural consequences if tasks aren’t completed “You may play after you make your bed” 
• Be consistent-same routine every day-”Every day we brush teeth, make bed, get dressed”  
• Label spaces/container with words or pictures so kids know where things go, especially in their rooms or playing spaces
  I hope this is helpful! It's never too late or too early to start modeling to kids what they can do to help your family function well together in that special place you call home.
  

Blessings,

Jennifer