Teach Your Child Responsibility
by Teresa, The CuteKid™ Staff|
Every child needs the responsibility of a job. Children develop self-confidence, feel valuable,
and learn important skills when given household responsibilities. A household runs smoother and
happier when everyone is involved in the work.
Today's parents often feel that their young children aren't old enough to accomplish many household tasks. Yet a hundred years ago children as young as five were assigned tasks like gathering eggs, watching younger siblings, or helping in the fields. At age seven my brother and my husband both remember being given the task of mowing the lawn. Do not underestimate your child's abilities while teaching children responsibility. Children, as young as two, can be given a task to do around the house. Find something small that they are already interested in doing like putting silverware or napkins on the table for dinner. At this age children can help clean up their own toys too. When I had a small in-home daycare with four boys ages two and three they helped me clean up twice a day. They knew exactly where each toy went and were expected to put it in the correct place. By the time my children were three they were clearing their own dishes off the table. My children love to help their dad wash our vehicles. Giving your child responsibility helps them feel like part of a family unit. I often explain to my son that because we are a family he is expected to do his share of the work. When work is done you can play together as a family. Watch a movie, play games, or go outside. Every evening we have clean up time. Each family member is assigned a certain task and we all work together until the house is picked up. Then we enjoy some family time together. Growing up my mother created a job chart. Each week the chart would rotate and we would get a different part of the house to clean. Since no one wanted to clean the bathrooms and we all wanted to vacuum this eliminated fighting and feelings that the work load was unfair. You might consider making a chart with jobs listed that your child can do to make extra money like cleaning out the garage, washing the windows, or cleaning out the fridge. This means that as a parent you don't have to do the work yourself and your child gets to earn money for the job. Planting a family garden is a great way to teach children the value of work. As children plant, weed, and water the garden they get to see the rewards of their work. As a teenager I hated weeding the garden. My dad would get us up early Saturday morning to weed before it got to hot outside. Yet I enjoyed eating the vegetables we grew. Now I am grateful for a father who taught me the value of work. Giving your children jobs makes them feel needed and helps in developing self-motivation. It teaches valuable skills and prepares them for adult hood. A child who has worked in his own home will be a better employee. He will be more responsible in all areas of his life. Publish your cute kids snaps. Submit a photo to our online baby photo contest and your cute kid could win exciting prizes. |
