Friday 23 October, 2009

Let your toddlers and older kids help with minor household chores

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Do you or don't you mind your children helping in the tiny chores at home? i guess most moms with kids aged 3 and above would love help from their kids so as to lessen workload or while engaged with other major chores, yet wont allow their kids to touch a thing for fear of mishaps. All you have to do is interact with them yourself close by or from a distance while they are busy doing the chores to ensure safety(emphasizing on toddlers)

Depending on age, stability, understanding and responsibility your kids would love to interact with you, and the work should sometimes come as an excuse, if always not a necessity. Toddlers who watch their parents peeling, cutting, washing etc etc.. would be eager to splash water around but thinking they're helping you! My daughter once helped me wash clothes and soon there were bubbles and soapy water everywhere, yet she was so happy that she helped her mom. Now kids of this age love being copy-cats of their mothers, so let them do it, provided they don't get in touch with chemicals or other dangerous articles.

Kids older, of course would love doing the vacuuming, washing the dishes or severing the table and a great way of showing them you value their contribution, is to let them do it and also reward them with love and extra play time. Even if they didn't ask to do it, you can always ask for their help. They are not perfect like parents but one can always re-do or add a finishing touch to the tidiness. As a parent you are teaching them several valuable lessons in life which would eventually be of great use to them in their future life and it definitely helps to enhance/boost their self-esteem.

Some moms loved being helped but only to get a nagging refusal from their kids. You cant force kids but can surely get them to enjoy their task!? Please come back to read, ways getting your kids to do household chores, in a few posts from now :-)

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