Managing a household is no quick, easy task! There are so many things to juggle as a parent while running a home, and the more people there are living in the house, the more noise, mess and work there is to be done! Apart from the housework there is, of course, the role as a parent to train our children to manage different jobs around the home and take responsibility for their possessions and place in the home.
Here are a few key reasons why giving kids a chore list is important:
Chores teach children responsibility
It may not be fun to do chores, but doing them teaches kids how to take care of things in their home and in their life, and later on they will know how to be responsible for a whole lot of things. Start small in teaching children about responsibility; do chores.
Chores teach children the value of money
Managing things in a home will teach a child the value of different items in a home – the price of dog food, the cost of a bowl that broke, the value of a toy that was lost.
Chores teach children the value of taking care of something they love
Giving a child responsibility for a chore will teach them what it’s like to take care of something. They will learn how to keep something they love clean and in good condition, or how a pet is fed and grows healthily. Taking care of things they own and use in the home will show a child that it takes time and care to keep things clean and in order.
Chores teach children about taking care of a home
Chores are great training for the future, when children will have households of their own to run. Chores are a great way to show a child all the different aspects involved in managing a home and family.
Children are a part of a household and should contribute
Unless you want a burnt out mom and entitled children, chores give children the opportunity to contribute to a family and home – they are part of the family and should help out and be responsible for chores in the home.
Chores teach children self respect
Children may drag their feet when it comes to doing chores, but after a period of time, they will learn the awesome feeling of being ABLE to manage certain parts of a home. There’s a level of self respect that develops when a child is responsible for a chore, and sees it through diligently.
Chores teach children discipline
Chores are jobs that need to be done, regardless of if one feels like it or not. This breeds self discipline, which is valuable later on in life when a child is an adult, needs to study, or get that extra bit of stickability when faced with an unpleasant circumstance.
Chores help children become hard workers
Working diligently at chores molds children to be hard workers. When a child feels a sense of pride in taking care of something, they will, in turn, work hard and see the value in working hard to take care of things they are responsible for.
Chores give children a respect for their stuff
When a child takes care of something, and can see how good it feels to see it well maintained, they will develop a respect for the things they are in charge of.
Chores teach children to be team players
Chores will sometimes mean working with others in your home. This helps children learn to work together amicably, and work alongside each other in the home.
Chores empower children
Chores teach children how to manage different areas in the home, which will help them manage their own homes one day when they are adults. Exposing both genders to different chores in the home will help children be well rounded adults, able to manage most, if not all, areas in a household.
Chores free up mom’s time
Training your children to do chores helps you get your home managed, your housework shared and some time freed up, all while teaching your children valuable lessons about responsibility. It may take patience, and you will have to overcome the temptation to take over and do jobs better or faster, but the beauty of training patiently is that over time, your children do learn to do their chores well, learn to enjoy doing them (eventually), and you do get to reap those benefits!
Other kids chore list resources you might like:
- Free Personalized Printable Chore Chart Template
- Clean & Build: Ideas For Making Chores Fun!
- Encourage Your Children To Be Cheerful Helpers