5 Telltale Signs That Your Kid Is Ready For Chores

As a mom, doing all the chores by yourself can be a tough one especially when your kid is still very young, but you manage.

And when your kids are a bit older and you think you can get some help with the chores, all they do is mess up the task, so you stop telling them to help because they create more mess than help.

They wash the plates and it becomes black, then for fear they'll turn all your plates into something you can't use again, you stop them from helping. But for how long will you keep doing it all yourself? Here are some signs that'll tell you if your child is ready for chores.

1. Carrying Heavy Objects

If they can carry their sibling, play the horse and the rider game, pin their sibling down for more than 8 seconds. Then they can probably handle lifting some furniture up so I can clean underneath it while sweeping. And when we go out, they'd be responsible for carrying my bag.

2. Laundry

If they can wear their socks by themselves, I think they should be able to wash it too, as well as their pants and undies. A little instruction on where to wash is all they need. When they are good with washing their pants, then we can move on to teaching them how to wash their clothes (white excluded). And when the clothes are dry, teach them how to fold the clothes neatly.

3. Feeding Themselves

If they are grown enough to complain about how my fried plantain is not brown enough and how the onions and pepper in my spaghetti sauce is too much, then it's time for them to head for the kitchen. And it's funny that when my kids cook anything, even if it's burnt and tasteless, it will still taste great in their mouth. This is the same with my husband.

4. Making Their Bed

They are so good at waking up and leaving the bed sheets tossed on the bed. Just yesterday I made a rule, when you wake up in the morning, make your bed. You can help each other, grab it on both sides, and tuck it in the bed. Then put the pillow on the bed, they protested at first but I can hear how excited they were when they were doing it this morning.

5. Washing Windows

If all the windows are dusty and all they find fun is squirting water on each other with their toy guns, then they can as well make themselves useful by using that toy gun to do some window cleaning. It is very important that my window is clean at all times.

So the next time your child is looking for their favourite toy send them into their room with a garbage bag, tell them to clean up the room so that they can find their treasure. Just like looking for a treasure, you have to dig up and clean up.

Teaching your child how to help with the chores is the best way to teach them responsibility, when you do everything for them, by the time they are old enough to be able to help, you will have to beg them before they do.

Comments

Comments