INDIANA – Being a parent is a delicate balance between wanting to do things for our kids (and providing them with everything within our means) and teaching them to be responsible and grateful individuals.
How can we help children grow into responsible adults, and why is it essential that they start learning these life skills early? One of the best things we can do for our kids is to teach them to help at home with age-appropriate chores. Asking your child to do regular chores comes with numerous benefits.
One of the most apparent benefits is that it helps them build life skills they will need as adults. Every person should know how to do regular household chores. As hard as it is to imagine, you will not always live with them to put their laundry away and load the dishwasher for them. Before you know it, they will spread their wings. Knowing how to do basic chores will help them become acclimated to life away from home much more quickly.
Another less apparent reason for assigning chores is to teach kids how to be a team player. Families function best when everyone is doing their part to make things run smoothly. From an early age, kids will learn that the assistance they give at home makes life easier for everyone, fostering a sense of belonging and teamwork. Siblings can work together, which reinforces the idea that working as a team helps them accomplish their goals more quickly than working alone.
Doing chores is also a confidence booster for kids. It provides them with the opportunity to learn something new and master new skills. Kids love learning new things and feeling involved in what’s happening at home. Asking them to help with chores will also help create a tighter sense of community within your family.
Having responsibilities at home also helps kids learn time management skills. Asking them to complete unfavorable tasks before moving on to more desirable jobs will allow kids to learn how to prioritize. This is excellent preparation for adulthood, where we oftentimes find ourselves having to complete important (but unexciting) tasks before we can move on to the things that bring us joy.
There are many benefits to assigning chores to your kids, including building self-esteem, building confidence, learning to be independent, learning time management, and building life skills they will need as adults. I know it seems like we blink and they are older, and sometimes doing tasks for them feels like we get to keep them little for just a bit longer. But in reality, we are stunting their ability to thrive. Help your kids reach their full potential by showing them that you believe they can accomplish anything.
Jenna Pauli, MSW, LCSW, is a Youth First Mental Health Professional at Good Shepherd Catholic School and Holy Redeemer School in Vanderburgh County. Youth First, Inc., is a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening youth and families. Youth First provides over 100 highly trained mental health professionals (primarily master’s level social workers), prevention programs, parent engagement coordinators, and bilingual support personnel to 126 schools across 14 Indiana counties. Over 53,000 youth and families are served annually by Youth First’s school-based social work and community programs, which promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and maximize student success. To learn more about Youth First, visit youthfirstinc.org or call 812-421-8336.
