Why your child should engage in chores

Chores are an important routine in a home. It helps keep the home tidy and everyone accountable for an activity. While a lot of people enjoy doing house chores, others do not, but then it is a necessity in a household.

Some chores are tedious and time-consuming, however, it doesn’t stop them from getting done. Hence, some homes may hire the services of a house cleaner to manage and handle various tasks that require extra hands.

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Children are capable of doing as much as they are allowed to explore, from sweeping, to cleaning areas accessible for them; washing both plates, cups; washing clothes, cleaning and putting their rooms in order. Some parents consider their child less capable, preferring to finish the housework as quickly and efficiently as possible.

While this argument may be reasonable, there are positive benefits to your child. It helps to teach life skills. He is young today, but won’t be a child forever. Doing laundry, cooking and budgeting are just some of the skills your child will need once he finally moves out. These are also things that schools do not fully teach, making learning them at home even more important.

Assigning children regular chores helps teach them responsibility. Tasks that personally affect your child, such as cleaning his room or doing his own laundry, can help him become more self-reliant at the same time.

Chores also help teach teamwork as being a productive member of a team can be modelled for children through housework. Members of your family ‘team’ are accountable to each other, and there are consequences when you don’t meet each other’s expectations. Learning these lessons at home, where mistakes are more easily forgiven, can help your child develop strong teamwork skills to use at school or work.

Chores also help reinforce respect. It takes moving away from home for most of us to fully appreciate all the hard work our parents did around the house. Our children are likely no different, but assigning them chores may help this insight come a little quicker. Your child may become more aware of the messes they make if they’re tasked with cleaning up around the house, and more respectful of the work that goes into maintaining a home.

While chores build a strong work ethic, it is a trait valued by teachers and bosses. Hence instilling a work ethic in your child from this young age is important. Chores are also commonly tied to a reward, such as an allowance or TV time. Paying your child for a job well done can also spark an entrepreneurial spirit, inspiring them to work outside the house once they reach their teens.

It is also important to improve planning and time management skills; chores can help your older child or teen build good habits early. Juggling schoolwork deadlines, housework and social life, which helps with learning to set priorities and manage time, important skills for the working world.

Finally, chores give families a chance to bond; they can create special moments between you and your child. It affords moments to share intimacy and bond while taking on a task. Get your child to do chores today.