Children & Chores

Our church offers a Wednesday evening, Pioneer Club for kids. Not just for the children within the church, but for the community as well.

It's a fun evening of Bible studies, Bible memory, learning life skills & learning how to work together.

This past week in their skills class, the children learned how to sort laundry while doing a relay race.

The kids loved it!

Children learn so much by watching us as parents, as we go about our day, taking care of daily chores that often feel mundane.

What we as parents often forget is, our children are eager to learn new skills, willing & often excited to help if given the chance.

The life skills they learn at home will stay with them forever.

Our children have daily/weekly chores that they're responsible for. 

Such as:

 Cleaning bathrooms

Cleaning their rooms

Emptying & loading the dishwasher

Emptying the trash 

Sweeping the floor

Feeding their pets

Mowing the yard

Picking weeds

Gathering the laundry

Folding the laundry...& the list goes on.

It helps them to feel a part of something bigger. It helps them to feel involved & needed, & most importantly, they are learning life skills that will teach them responsibility into adulthood.

"helping to make applesauce"

Friday is our weekly cleaning day. Today while the 2 oldest & I were cleaning, Asher kept following Gracie around, asking,"what can I do?" ...She finally came & asked if there was something little brother could do to keep busy :)

I gave him a damp rag & had him wipe down the baseboards in the bathrooms.

He did such a good job, & the pride that lit up his face was worth the little bit of extra time it took to get the job done.

Later as I was folding laundry, he came over & asked to help. I gave him all the hand towels & wash cloths & he stayed busy till the task was completed. He's only 3, but there is so much he can help with if given the chance(He also loves putting away the silverware when his siblings are emptying the dishwasher.)

They take turns helping to cook dinner each night as well. Chopping/peeling veggies, mashing tators, stirring soup etc. The older ones are learning how to follow recipes...sometimes it's a flop, but most times we end up with something really good ;)

Daily/weekly chores do not come with an allowance. We don't want our children growing up, feeling entitled to payment, every time they do a job for someone. There are extra chores though that earn them a few dollars here & there.

Like today, Dawson came to me after his chores were completed & asked if there were any extra chores that needed done, that could earn him some $.

(there are always extra chores like that around here:)

I had him trim shrubs & cut off all the dead foliage of the summer, in my flower gardens. He did it every bit as good as I would've done it. He made a few extra dollars & I didn't have to do the one job that I dread every fall. It was a win-win! :)

I challenge you today:

Give your child a chore & watch as his/her face lights up at a job well done.

It may take longer initially, but once they've successfully mastered that skill, that is one thing you'll have help with or may no longer need to do in the future...you'll be doing yourself a favor ;)