Introducing chores
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Kids generally love being helpful and love the feeling of importance when they can help. You may find that as soon as they can they will be asking what can I do and be willing to help from something as simple as wanting to watch and help a little to completing something themselves such as wiping up or sweeping the floor.
Anything that you allow them to do will provide a great opportunity to not only do something together but will also have the added bonus of assisting the child in learning a new skill and some vital life skills too.
While this all sounds very nice it is important to be patient and be aware of limitations. It is just as important to not have standards that make it impossible for them to help or achieve/finish the task.
Suggestions of age appropriate jobs
Toddlers can
Help make beds,
Fold clothes,
Put away toys,
Dust,
Wipe surfaces,
Hand pegs to you as you put the washing on the line or help with the sweeping using a small dustpan and brush
Preschoolers can
Help set the table,
Take their own dish to the sink after meals,
Start pouring their own drink, m
Make their bed,
Put dirty clothes in the basket,
Put their things away- i.e. shoes in the shoe bucket, toys away, etc, choose their own clothes
Dress themselves,
Put their clothes away in their place.
Renae (Seriously Kids)
Renae is the founder & CEO of SK who has been working with families for decades. Her educational background and experience in the Early Childhood sector, as well as Social Science and Community Services has provided a broad base to her approach which focuses on balancing the informative but never at the expense of providing an entertaining read.
From working in the private setting, not for profit, as well as government agencies and at times combining her love of travel and work on a global scale, she is also a mum who has experienced the poo blowouts, the shopping tantrums and the sleepless nights.
