Children love to do things by themselves. Not only do they like to figure things out without the help of anyone else, but they also like to do laundry, mow the lawn, take out the trash, and even cook for themselves. However, when a child is forced to take responsibility, it can often lead to frustration and disappointment.
What do you do when your child doesn’t want to do their job? Do you yell at them? Do you let them be lazy, hoping that will somehow motivate them? Well, that has worked for some people, but kids today have so much pressure on them all the time. They don’t even realize the life they live is a privilege. Kids today are expected to play sports, do homework, play musical instruments, be on the honor roll, go to band and orchestra, and maintain good grades. Children today have never known a time when they didn’t have to do so much.
And the same may apply to the home, as kids today are often raised on the premise that doing chores is the best way to earn your keep. After all, it’s what our parents did. But is that still true? Many do believe that it is, but not as often as it used to be.
If you are one of these people, you may want to look into the reasons why you shouldn’t make your children do these types of tasks every day.
- Some Chores Should Be Done by Parents Instead of Children
Certain chores require a level of skill, experience, and responsibility that may not be suitable for children. Tasks such as operating a battery mower or cooking complex meals should be handled by parents to ensure safety and prevent accidents. It is important to assess the appropriateness of each chore and assign responsibilities accordingly, taking into consideration the age and capabilities of the child.
- Kids learn things by doing them, not being told.
It is a challenge to teach children how to learn. It is even more difficult to teach them how to learn effectively. Learning is a lifelong process but teaching children how to learn is not something we get taught, nor is it something we can observe in others. We must be intentional about it. To be intentional about instruction, we must look at what we know about how children learn and include this way of teaching when it comes to the home.
- Kids need the chance to reject a task, even if it is important.
Resentment is the child of overbearing. When we push children to attempt tasks that they believe are stressful or unfair, then resent them for it, we are setting them up to fail. But you don’t have to surrender control over chores. Instead, you can empower them by hanging onto the right attitude.
- Kids need to feel good about themselves, and they will be proud of themselves by completing little tasks.
Kids need to feel good about themselves, and they will be proud of themselves when they complete little tasks that they’ve been set. Your child’s self-esteem is as important as their school grades. Children with low self-esteem will show it in little things such as turning down invitations to social activities. So, it is your job to build them up where you can.
- Chores help teach children responsibility and make them more independent.
Chores are an important responsibility that children need to carry out each day. Children who help with chores from an early age learn important life skills, become more independent, and feel more empowered. As they grow older, chores teach children how to take care of themselves and they can also learn how to save money. Even toddlers can help out around the house. Parents can help children gain independence and respect by assigning age-appropriate chores for kids.
Some children love to clean. They enjoy getting their hands dirty and pridefully making everything look spick and span. Others struggle to put even an inch of garbage in their garbage bags, let alone dust, sweep, mop, or vacuum the floors. It’s never fun to see your kids struggle, but it’s important to realize that there are good reasons why kids avoid chores.
Kids need to be kids. They have more responsibilities than adults but don’t have the same resources. Children don’t have the transportation or money to be able to go out and have fun with their friends. And parents who force their children to do chores every day are suppressing the natural development of children. So, asking them to do chores every now and then is definitely the way forward.