More and more studies have found that if a child wants to become responsible and willing to help, he should be involved in housework early.
Why do you say that? Let the child participate in housework, can inspire the child’s sense of cooperation and discipline. At the same time, it can also let the child gradually understand his importance in the family. Moreover, letting the child take charge of specific work helps the child believe in himself, and is also an early education of the child’s sense of responsibility.
On the contrary, if parents take on all the housework for a long time without allowing their children to participate, many children will think that housework is what their parents should do. These children may take it for granted that they can misbehave at will and someone will clean up for them.
Doing housework is good for children.
Housework is a necessary part of daily life. Parents should let their children understand as soon as possible that they are also one of the family members and have the obligation to contribute to family life.
Step 1: Develop a sense of responsibility
Doing housework can make children responsible and let them know how to take care of themselves and others.
Children have a strong sense of self, and doing housework is a good opportunity for children to participate in family group activities. Learn to contribute to the family, not just consider themselves.
Step 2: Cultivate empathy
Doing housework can make children understand the efforts made by adults to keep the family clean and tidy, and will become more empathetic. For example, children used to throw dirty clothes on the bedroom floor, but now they may prefer to put them in the laundry basket.
STEP 3 Develop Self-Confidence
Children hope their behavior can be praised by their parents. If parents give their children housework smoothly, it can cultivate their self-confidence.
4. Developing skills
Doing housework not only enables children to have confidence in their abilities, but also teaches them the skills to do housework, which are necessary in their life when they grow up.
How to let children do housework?
Not many children will take the initiative to help with housework, but if parents can cultivate their children’s positive attitude towards housework as soon as possible and let children regard housework as an inevitable responsibility every day, children can slowly accept housework as a part of life, instead of pushing it off when encountering housework.
Parents can also make a list of housework to be done for their children so that they can choose the housework they want to do.
However, don’t expect too much of your child’s ability to do housework. It may take a long time for a child to complete a new housework task, parents also need to spend a lot of energy to guide him, and even the result may not be satisfactory. But if the child is not given a chance to try, he may never learn.
Choose housework suitable for children’s age.
Don’t expect a 3-year-old child to help wash the dishes, but let the child do some housework suitable for his age.
Here are some tips for parents to try:
Housework suitable for children aged 2-3
- Let the child put his clothes in the laundry basket. Give the child a feather duster or rag and try to remove dust. Put books and magazines in order.
Housework Suitable for Children Aged 4 ~ 5
- Clean up one’s bed, clean up the table after dinner, take out the garbage and water the flowers.
Housework Suitable for Children Aged 6 ~ 7
- Fold clothes, classify clothes, keep your bedroom clean and tidy, and help wash and choose vegetables.
Housework Suitable for Children Aged 8 ~ 9
- Tidy up the sundries, tidy up the clothes you need to clean, make your own simple breakfast, and vacuum the dust with a vacuum cleaner.
Housework suitable for children over 10 years old
- Clean the bathroom and kitchen and cook some simple meals under the supervision of parents, such as cooking noodles, frying eggs, washing clothes with the washing machine, changing sheets and quilt covers.
Should children be paid?
As children grow up, they may ask their parents to pay for housework.
Should it be given to them?
It’s up to you. Most parenting experts believe that money should not be given, because paying may mislead children: if there is no money, there is no obligation to do housework. But in fact, doing housework is a child’s due contribution to the family.
Parents should let their children understand that it is their duty to tidy up their bedrooms and every family member has the obligation to contribute to a better family life.
If the child is trying to save money for a favorite toy, a better way is to suggest the child to do some extra housework, such as cleaning the kitchen floor, tidying up the living room sundries, etc., and then reward the child for doing these housework.
Responsible Editor: Xiaoyan