Three Cheers for Chores

Getting things done around the house is a dilemma for EVERY parent. It’s especially challenging for those of us who are (ahem)…messy.

From the time my oldest son could walk and hold a broom, I started having him help around the house. He was DELIGHTED to help me when he was a toddler. However, the delight wore off and was replaced with a fight.

Sometimes, I’ve wondered if it’s really worth giving my kids chores because of the CHALLENGES that come with getting them involved.

“I’ll just do it all myself!” I said with a frown and a bad attitude.

Here are the challenges of assigning chores:

  • It sometimes leaves me with a a bigger mess,
  • It often takes more time than if I just did it myself,
  • It usually involves some whining, crying, and complaining about how HARD life is because of ALL.THE.WORK.

However, if I look past the immediate moment and think long term, the benefits of giving my kids chores FAR outweigh the challenges.

Benefits for kids doing chores:

  • Children learn how to contribute to the family,
  • They learn how to keep things tidy,
  • They learn that they can do HARD things – which builds their self-esteem,
  • Chores help them mature,
  • Doing something with their hands releases feel-good chemicals in their brain that protect against depression,
  • Many studies show that kids who help at home are more confident, compassionate, resilient, and grow up to be more successful!
  • And, their future spouse will THANK YOU. 🙂

 

Chores are one of the best mediums we have for teaching kids about being part of a family, and about belonging, significance, and teamwork.

Lynn Lott

 

You aren’t just giving your kids CHORES, you are teaching them LIFE SKILLS – things they benefit from the rest of their lives!

How you keep track of chores is up to you. There are chore charts of every size and every price available online … and I’ve tried several of them!

 

Here are two ideas for you:

1. Chore Cups:

  1. Find one container for every child in your family.
  2. Write your child’s name on the container.
  3. Take several clothes pins and write 1 chore on each one.
  4. Clip the chores your children need to do on their cup
  5. When your child has completed the chore, they can put their pin in the cup.

2. Check-off List:

(This was a list we used over the summer. Before the kids could go out or use electronics, they had to practice piano, do their daily chore(s), read, play a game of chess, and do a “learning” activating I had assigned.)

  1. Type up a chart of list for each child
  2. Laminate or reprint as needed

 

Need ideas of what is age appropriate? Check this out:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have a system that’s worked for you? Leave a comment and share it with us.

And to everyone reading – Best wishes for you getting things done in YOUR house!

Love,

Kathryn and the Help Club for Moms team

Kathryn Egly
Latest posts by Kathryn Egly (see all)

One Comment on “Three Cheers for Chores”

  1. Pingback: The struggle with housekeeping... - kathrynegly.com

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