Helping With Chores
How often does your child refuse to help around the house? My wife and I decided a long time ago that as soon as she can grasp the cleaning up after yourself process, that she would help cleaning up her own mess.
It was around two that we initiated it. Some of our family members told us it was too young to start. I asked them when it was too old to start? If you do not start young, you are going to have a heck of a time telling him or her when they are older. By the time they are five their personalities are well established. If they have never been shown or taught how to clean up their own mess, it makes it that much harder.
At first we make it a game and help her with her mess. As she gets a little older we are gradually incorporating that she cleans up most of her mess. Eventually she will have to clean up all of her messes. Will she be happy and want to do it? Of course not! She cries and cries. BUT, I would rather have her cry now then take a temper tantrum later on. That would be unacceptable. Moreover, she learns responsibility. She will come to understand her actions will have consequences. (I do not want to sound like I am a mean father, I am told I am a softie. I am, up to a certain point, and then she must abide with what I tell her.)
At this juncture, I have labeled her messes. From a tropical storm to categories of hurricanes. I look at her mess and tell my wife and daughter that it is a tropical storm Caris, or a category five Caris. The latter suggests that the whole place is a disaster area.
I wonder if anyone else does the same thing.
November 18th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
George, we say the place looks like a tornado went through frequently, but never thought of rating it.
We started ours young for simple tasks anyway. Since they could walk they would scrape their plates off and put them into the sink after meal time. They didn’t always do it perfectly but they automatically do it now.
November 19th, 2007 at 9:37 am
That is sage advice. I never thought of letting her scrape the plates! Good idea. We would have to get her stool so she would be able to reach the sink.
I will speak to my wife about it.
Thanks!
George
November 19th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Yes, a stool would help. Corelle or plastic dishes are good too because they smash them into the sink pretty hard.