How To Assign Age-Appropriate Chores For Your Children?
Children often explore their surroundings to understand things around them. Though you may see a frowny face when you ask them to do a particular task, this task lends them to a sense of responsibility. Chores are any work that contributes to other’s well-being in a household. Performing chores can also help them to develop and master life skills that could be useful in the future. By the time they are independent adults, they will be able to do them without any difficulty.
How to assign chores?
You can start by making a list of things that need to be done at home like cleaning, making the bed, watering the garden, folding clothes etc. After this, the chores can be divided amongst the family members per their interests and act as a learning experience for all. You should also establish rules that explain the fair consequences if they choose not to perform the tasks. For instance, you can stop your children from watching television till they take care of their chores.
How to choose age-appropriate chores for your children?
Assigning chores by age will help ensure that your children are not overwhelmed by the work given. As soon as children are old enough to follow directions, you can assign them simple chores around the house. Though children will not often volunteer to do household chores, it is necessary to give them these responsibilities. Children are ready to follow the given instructions as soon as they are 3-years old. At this age, they are excited to help their parents. They can get excited and mess things up but, do not let it stand in the way of assigning chores to them. You can start by asking them to tidy up the toys on the floor, putting the plates they used into the sink or feeding your pet.
Some of the chores that you can assign children aged 3-6 are-
- Cleaning the toys in their playroom
- Feeding your pet
- Placing their plates in the sink after every meal
- Pushing the button to start the microwave oven
Children aged 6-9 –
- Making their bed
- Wiping the table with a sponge
- Folding washed clothes
- Collecting the toys and put them in the assigned place
- Taking your pet for a walk
Children aged 9-12 –
- Peeling and cut veggies with adult supervision
- Washing fruits and vegetables
- Watering the plants in the garden
- Filling water bottles around the house
- Arranging their books on the bookshelf
- Assisting while using the microwave to heat food with adult supervision
- Packing their school bag
To make performing the chores fun, parents can reward their child if they complete the chores on time without being told. You can use the scavenger hunt technique for small rewards.
Parents can also use chores as a bonding experience with their child that can help enhance your relationship with them. It will help them keep in touch with their children despite having a busy schedule. It will help the parent and the child learn new things about each other while performing these chores. How would you even know that your child disliked jazz music just like you if you hadn’t washed the dishes together? You would have never known!
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