I wasn't quite sure how to respond, how does one respond to that question, "You'll thank me one day", "Well aren't you glad your not their daughter," or "Well maybe the other mother's don't care if their daughters and sons are productive citizens in the future."
I give my kids chores, I know some people think that a six year old can't wipe up a bathroom or vacuum, but to them I say poo-poo.
In our house doing a chore is how you contribute to the household, it is how mom and dad prepare you to be a productive member of society. What the kids don't understand is it is not so mom doesn't have to do the chores. I have redone chores before, when the kids aren't looking of course, I know that I am able to get the chores done quicker and better than the kids can, but that isn't the point. The point is that they learn.
We have job charts and some jobs stay the same each week (cleaning your room, making your bed) others change. One week you might vacuum and do the dishes, the next you might clean the bathrooms and clear the table. The point is that the kids learn and they learn what it takes to really make a family work, it isn't about mom and dad doing everything, it is about everyone pitching in and helping one another.
So we will keep doing chores, even if I am the only mom that assigns them.
What chores do you expect your kids to do? How early did you start them?
In our house doing a chore is how you contribute to the household, it is how mom and dad prepare you to be a productive member of society. What the kids don't understand is it is not so mom doesn't have to do the chores. I have redone chores before, when the kids aren't looking of course, I know that I am able to get the chores done quicker and better than the kids can, but that isn't the point. The point is that they learn.
We have job charts and some jobs stay the same each week (cleaning your room, making your bed) others change. One week you might vacuum and do the dishes, the next you might clean the bathrooms and clear the table. The point is that the kids learn and they learn what it takes to really make a family work, it isn't about mom and dad doing everything, it is about everyone pitching in and helping one another.
So we will keep doing chores, even if I am the only mom that assigns them.
What chores do you expect your kids to do? How early did you start them?
I have been toying with the idea of giving Mallory a couple of little chores to do, for a couple of reasons, but I'm kind of at a loss. Any suggestions you think would be age-appropriate?
ReplyDeleteShe's four right, almost five? A few things that I had James doing then were making the bed, cleaning his room, vacuuming the stairs and chairs, and wiping the base boards. Oh and he would weed too. I hope that helps. Really it depends on the kid, I just started James sweeping and vacuuming, something I didn't start Eve on till she was seven.
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