I am very opinionated on this subject. I strongly believe that children need to be given responsibilities starting very young. You can start out with just holding the basket so they can put their baby toys in them when they are around a year old!
Job boards with pictures work great for toddlers. A toothbrush for brushing their teeth.
The younger you start the kids in learning they have responsibilities around the house, the more responsible children they will become.
Kids like to feel important, to feel needed, to feel like they contribute to the family.
I don't feel that kids have to be paid to do chores. Do we get paid to clean the house? It is part of being a family. Of course allowances can be fine and used as a family wishes, I am just saying that I don't believe a child should think that he HAS to be paid to do any work in the house. It is all a matter of how it is presented.
Our kids do get an allowance. It is very small. Just enough to help them learn how to save some money and how it can go into the bank.
I have often had "extra" jobs that can be "paying" jobs in the summer if the kids want to make some money. It might be washing windows or something that I normally wouldn't have them do. (They think these is great fun actually.) But these are on top of their normal jobs.
Our kids have 2 regular jobs to do for the week. For the 8 year olds it is setting the table, clearing the table, helping in the kitchen, vacuuming or helping carry the laundry. That is on top of the routine making their beds and cleaning their rooms daily. They also put their clean clothes from their cubbys away when needed.
I think that we need to be raising our children to prepare them to be on their own. I have seen many, many children who have never had to do anything to help in their homes and I feel a disservice is being done to those kids.
I have 3 boys who have left the home and are living on their own now and they all know how to do laundry, keep things clean and what responsibilities need to be done. (I can't say they always do it..but they have been given the proper tools and instruction and they know how.)
4 comments:
LOVE this post. I'm with ya 100%. Not to mention, responsibility builds confidence and helps our children learn cooperation.
Here, here! I am so on board! Since our boy was maybe 2, he has had to help out. (pick up blocks, blankie has evolved into switch the laundry, empty wastebaskets) We have jobs (like making his bed) that are JUST A PART OF LIVING IN THE HOUSE, then we have "payable" jobs. One quarter a job, ends up being $10 a week. But... if I have to ask him more than once? I do the job and he has to PAY ME!
I agree with you. My kids are not yet huge with the helping because they are only 5 and 2 1/2 but they do some of the little things. Our 2 year old does help with picking up toys and things and he also enjoys taking and puting in clotes from the washer and dryer. Our 5 year old loves to put the dishes in the dishwasher after meals, making his bed and picking up around the house.
I totally agree but I never got them to, and now they are grown.
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