Should you teach your children to do laundry or chores? I read an article that over 400,000 teens and young adults do not know how to do their own laundry. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry? I rank doing one’s laundry, as one of the easiest independent skill, one can have. ” Some parents tell me they’ve focused so intensely on fostering academic,
athletic or other achievements in their children that they don’t have time for
household basics; one retailing executive, for example, told me that her teen
was too busy doing community service and keeping an honors GPA to clean a toilet
bowl or wash clothes”(article credit). How can a child be too “busy” to learn valuable skills they will need in their adult life. In my opinion, one should already know how to sustain most of the basic needs at a young age before they hit their teenage years. Thus, freeing them to have more “time” to do extra curricular activities like sports, community service etc. We all know I am a BIG advocate of giving back but where do you drawn the line? If you are not giving back to your family first how can they have the necessary talents and skills to help others???
What about other chores? Mclachlan likes to vacuum his room for instance. Should I encourage him to do something else rather then spend some of his time cleaning? I know this may sound silly to some but really where do we draw the line here? My generation has been marked as lazy and absent parents. I would like to know what the future holds for my kiddo as he grows up in this generation.
I know I am not the normal parent around these parts. Let’s face it, I am around 20 something in age, I enjoy cooking, gardening, my chickens and saving money. I also have a strict diet for Mac, schedule and a hands on approach. So I may not be the best person to ask about these issues but I believe children should be taught at a young age these things.
I know my parents generation was brought up so much differently then I was. I am sure they see my generation and truly believe we are lazy and have lost our way. I hope my son will grow up with not only skills to make it on his own but memories of doing these things with me. The best way I know how to show him chores is by making it fun rather then a chore. Because, let’s face it who likes doing chores?? Maybe someday when I get older he will come and do my laundry for me, since I’ve spent years doing his?? Here’s to hoping 😉
You go girl. My daughter is raising her 2 year old the way she was raised and he has chores already. His father is very sport orientated and I know he will be involved in sports as well as household and farm chores. No reason they can't do both. And yes, when my daughter comes to visit me or I go there, she MAKES me sit down while she waits on me, feeds me and pampers me. I am so blessed and it is certainly because of the way she was brought up. She was in dance, piano, sports, honor roll, etc and still had her household chores. As you said this is what they will use all her life. She is an awesome cook and home maker and has her own business. They learn it when they are young
It amazes me (in a bad way) how many people don't teach their kids simple chores :/?? it's one thing when they're youngish but when they start getting in that high school age and STILL haven't been taught?? I didn't have extracurricular activities but I was an honors student and still expected to do what was asked of me. And honestly it feels embarrassing to not know certain things at a certain age.
I have a thing I say: if you reap the benefits, you can clean up behind yourself. Stink up your own clothes? you can wash them. Like to eat? know how to cook. Walk on the floor? you can sweep it. Usually kids like to help, from what I've seen, so why not give them little things here and there? Most of the time people can get creative if they want, too–makes it more fun.
My kids are 1 and 4 & My oldest knows what he has to do and has a chore chart, gotta fight with him sometimes, but he does it. My youngest is always willing to help me out and i let him swiffer my floor. having children do chores..not an insane amount, though is good life skills for them!