Chores and Responsibilities: An Introduction
Getting your kids to help out around the house can be tough. You want to be fair in assigning chores (especially if you have more than one child), but you also want to make sure they're age-appropriate and teach your child responsibility. You wish your kids were organized and on task, but they seem to always have some sort of excuse. If you get frustrated with your kids and chores, you're not alone.
Even though it can cause some tension, getting your kids to help out around the house is beneficial in many ways. In addition to teaching them crucial life skills, it will free up some of your time so you can spend more time with them. Read on to find out how you can get your whole family to help with chores.
Did You Know?
- Twenty-five percent of parents responding to an ASU survey reported that they constantly nag their kids about cleaning their rooms.1
- Other issues parents were concerned with included picking up dirty clothes, putting dirty dishes in the sink, and hanging up wet towels.1
- Adolescents learn valuable lessons such as responsibility, autonomy, and decision-making skills from completing chores around the house.1
Even though it can cause some tension, getting your kids to help out around the house is beneficial in many ways. In addition to teaching them crucial life skills, it will free up some of your time so you can spend more time with them. Read on to find out how you can get your whole family to help with chores.
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1. Lynette Summerill, “The Chore of Chores,” ASU Research (Summer 2001).
Comments
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I am a strong believer in chores for children of all ages. The importance of children taking responsibility to be contributing members of their family is dealt with in the following video on YouTube. See 4 minutes, 50 seconds at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YETArqHBmNg&feature=player_embedded#at=24…
Helping children learn to be responsible is also discussed in the Kelly Bear DVD on Self-Control.
I am a strong believer in chores for children of all ages. The importance of children taking responsibility to be contributing members of their family is dealt with in the following video on YouTube. See 4 minutes, 50 seconds at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YETArqHBmNg&feature=player_embedded#at=24…
Helping children learn to be responsible is also discussed in the Kelly Bear DVD on Self-Control.
The importance of having children contribute to their family by doing chores is discussed in the following video, “Thoughts on Parenting.” See:
http://www.kellybear.com/ParentTips.html
When children help with chores around the house, it teaches them that they are a responsible part of the household team. I think the hardest challenge parents find is in getting children to do them without complaining. I find that it is best not to rotate chores, rather children should be assigned the same chores, like always setting the table each night. This cuts down on fighting between siblings and if parents are consistent, children become proficient and the chore becomes less of a hassle for them.