If you were told about a method of increasing your childrens
self-esteem, youd probably be interested. If you were told
this same method helped your family to feel more like a team, and
helped your kids contribute to family chores, youd probably
be thrilled.
This method is available to all of us. All it takes is a little
teaching, and a little patience. Then, you get to sit back and wait
for the investment to pay off.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota studied a group of young
men and women from the time they were young children. The results
of the study were startling. The study showed that young adults,
who had participated in household chores when they were age 3 and
4, were more successful as adults than those who didn't.
Specifically, these young adults were more likely to complete their
education, get a good start on a career, develop adult relationships,
and avoid the use of drugs.
The early participation in household
chores was deemed more important in their success than any other
factor, including IQ! On the other hand, if children did not begin
participating in household chores until they were teenagers, the
experience seemed to backfire, and had a negative effect on their
success as young adults, using those same measures.
So what does all of this mean for parents?
Kids have a strong desire for a sense of belonging and community
in their family. They want to be a productive member of the family,
and to contribute in some meaningful way. Starting young kids out
with simple chores gives them a sense of belonging. Not only does
it help them contribute, it provides them with a huge boost in self-confidence.
It says loudly, Dad believes Im capable of doing this!
This message is powerful fuel for your childs confidence.
It strengthens their esteem while bolstering their desire to help
with future chores. You can start out with small chores when theyre
younger, like setting the table, or emptying the wastebasket. As
they get older, increase the number of chores, as well as the level
of difficulty. As a general rule, kids can do much more than you
think. All they need is a chance. I was amazed to see that my daughter
could make scrambled eggs at age three!
Fathers often want to do things by themselves. Letting the kids
help will often result in a bigger mess, and more time to clean
up. But this is an investment in a future work force around your
house, and family time together. Taking a bit longer with the job,
and having a little more clean-up time, is a small price to pay
for an increase in your childs self esteem.
And when you get complaints from your kids about the chores, you
can simply say, This is what we do in our house. Chores
around the house should be expected from your kids. These arent
paid jobs, and theyre done in a timely manner. Thats
just the way it is. And its always helpful to define the chores
clearly.
Posting them on the refrigerator can be an effective way to keep
them on everyones mind. Its also a good idea to rotate
the chores every month or so. This way, people dont get stuck
for long periods with chores they dislike.
You can help the buy in of chores in your household
by your own attitude towards household chores. Parents who show
their kids that chores are hard and/or boring wont have willing
helpers in the future. Chores can bring with them an opportunity
to have fun together, and to spend valuable time with each other.
When you show your kids how fun chores can be, theyll see
them as a chance to spend time together, not as drudgery that nobody
else wants to do.
Starting your kids with chores when theyre young is one of
the best things you can do for your family. If you didnt start
early on, you have some selling to do. But providing
a sense of community and belonging in your family should always
be a strong priority. It almost seems too good to be true. Increase
your kids self-esteem, and get more things done around the
house at the same time!
You may find that a few slow, messy projects arent so bad.
A little extra clean up time never hurts too much.
Especially when measured against your childrens future. |