Summer is actually the perfect time to teach our kids new “tricks” since they have more time on their hands. Although in this age of numerous gadgets, computers, cellphones, handy games, etc., it’s sometimes a challenge just to ask them to move and have some exercise in the form of what? Household chores, no less! But no matter how tricky it is, it is still up to us parents to train them at an early age to have some responsibilities at home. They may not realize it now, but later on, they will even thank us, for teaching them how to sweep the floor, wash the dishes, iron or wash some clothes.
So, what do you think are the household chores that you can orient your child with this summer? Here are some which work with my own kids. I credit my husband for being the one who really trained our kids in doing some of these chores at our home.
- Dishwashing. This includes clearing the table, putting leftovers in a bowl; and stacking everything neatly in the sink. We assign our 2 older kids to do this, one will do the actual washing of the dishes, while the other one will clear the table and put the plates in the sink, and then the next day, they have a rotation of assignment.
- Cooking. Teach your kids how to cook rice, whip up a batch of pancakes, and fry hotdogs. They can also help with the chopping and taste testing. My son loves to cook. He can easily follow verbal instructions, or even from a cookbook. Even my two daughters have shown interest in cooking. I always encourage them to help out in the kitchen, and I even let my youngest to prepare and cook pancakes.
- Doing the laundry. With the help of washing machines, your kids can sort, load, hang, fold, and then place all those clean clothes in their closets. Your kids should be responsible for fixing their own closets.
- Ironing. Kids in high school are old enough to be entrusted with an iron. Teach them how to iron their school uniforms. My kids can easily do this chore. I let them be responsible for checking if they have a clean and ironed uniform in their cabinets, and if there’s none, they’re also expected to wash them the night before and to iron them the next morning.
- Organizing things. Whether it’s helping put grocery items away or arranging their clothes, it helps kids get used to having order around them – especially when they have to go out on their own.
- Caring for pets. Older kids can be taught to prepare dog food, while younger ones can gather feeding bowls and help ration food.
- Changing beddings. Demonstrate first how it’s done before letting your kids do it on their own.
How about you? Do you take advantage of the summer vacation to also teach your kids some household chores?
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Happy Mothers Day sis:)