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Why Chores Are Good for Children

November 15, 2009  

Just about everyone can remember doing chores as a kid. They weren?t much fun but a necessary part of the day. Not all kids do chores, but they are an important part of a child?s life.

They probably named these activities chores because they were things no one wanted to do but that had to be done. Now that you have children, it?s time to teach them the time-honored tradition of taking out the trash and washing the dishes. But, this time, you can make it fun because you know why chores are important.

Before you start thinking, the main reasons for doing chores are listed here. Some parents may be more likely to assign chores when they realize how they actually help their child.

1. Chores teach responsibility. Kids like to play like they are grown-ups. When you give them something to do that their parents can do, they feel more important. Kids are a part of the family too and they are never too young to pitch in. When they perform a task and do a good job, give them positive feedback.

2. Chores aid in their development of certain skills. Children learn hand/eye co-ordination, how to naturally solve problems and attention to detail. These are but a few of the skills that they can develop through chores.

3. Children learn to follow instructions. In school, this is important. They?ll get a lot of instructions throughout the day from how to perform a certain math problem to walking in a straight line to the cafeteria. You can give them a head start with their chores. Before turning them loose with the vacuum or the dish rag, demonstrate as well as verbalize what they need to do.

4. Chores are a team effort. Kids aren?t the only ones who have to do daily tasks. When they only see themselves being told what to do, they get discouraged. Perform your tasks at the same time so your children see that everyone pitches in together. For household chores (other than picking up their belongings at the end of the day), set aside Saturday mornings as chore time. Your older kids will be less likely to object when everyone is working.

5. Chores teach life skills. When your child goes to college one day, they will be on their own. You don?t want them living in squalor. They may surprise their classmates when they can wash, fold and iron their clothing and keep their side of the room clean.

Chores aren?t always the most pleasant thing to do but they are a necessary part of life. Kids learn how to care for themselves, be a responsible part of the family and to develop skills they will need throughout their lives.

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Comments

2 Responses to “Why Chores Are Good for Children”

  1. Chadder on November 25th, 2009 2:22 am

    Teaching the chores to kids is important, but it is also a big challenge. I used to beg, nag and yell at them. After giving up, I searched the net for a solution. It was then that I found the chore charts. I decided to do the planning along with my kids. They would decide the design, rewards, and I would tell them what jobs they must do. They chose their charts from this website called kidrewardzone.com. It was fun following the schedule. It was fun to see stars in the columns, so they would finish their chores, keep things in place and all that stuff. I would also put coins in a box for each star and take out a coin for any negative behavior like tantrums etc. In the end of the week they would earn a trip to the park only if both of them did not miss a star. It worked wonders.

  2. Alexis on December 3rd, 2009 12:03 pm

    That’s a wonderful solution. Thanks for sharing!

    Lexi

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