What lessons do children learn from chores?
• They learn that it takes a lot to make a household function, and that everything will work more smoothly if everyone pitches in. • They can learn new skills, such as cooking. • They learn to take pride in accomplishing a goal. • They learn to take responsibility for setting goals and meeting deadlines. Choosing appropriate chores • Start young! Even very young children can do simple chores such as putting their dirty clothes into a laundry basket. It’s easier to get them into the habit early than to face resistance later on when you introduce chores for the first time. • What if your kids are older, but haven’t been doing chores yet? Ease them into it slowly. Parents will sometimes make the mistake of trying to institute sweeping changes, with kids suddenly taking on all sorts of responsibilities at once. This is pretty much guaranteed to foster a whole lot of unpleasantness in the home, as kids resent this sudden, seemingly random burst of demands. • Keep chores age-appropriate. You
