MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Doing household chores is something that children and even adults hate.
But these are chores that have to be done.
And teaching children to do some chores is best if started at a very young age.
Young children can already be taught to help put away the groceries, set the table, and make their own bed.
And when they grow a little older, they can already be taught to do other chores like sweeping the floor, keeping their room tidy, clearing the table after every meal, doing laundry and even cooking with the parents’ supervision.
But of course, everything will not be perfect at the start.
Young as they are, they will always make mistakes or start to become clumsy. But its all part of the process.
And as they progress, they also start to become responsible individuals.
Here are some tips on how to teach our children to be responsible.
Start them young
Teaching children to be responsible does not happen overnight. It is best to ask them to do chores that they can do given their present age.
Allow them to help you
It will take longer to finish a chore that is done with your kids. But who cares? Consider it as time well spent with your child. And inviting them to do a task with you makes them feel special and valued as well.
Demonstrate
Before you make them try something, always show your kids how it is done. Show them how you wash the dishes properly before allowing them to also do the same.
And always remember to make the task age-appropriate.
Manage your expectations
Don’t expect too much. And never criticize. Instead, recognize the work they have accomplished and encourage them to do it again.
Tell them of the consequences
Make your child understand the consequences if he/she fails to do an assigned task or even do it well.
What happens if they leave their toys scattered on the floor? This could result to accidents, perhaps. Or this could lead to the loss of some of their toys.
Teaching a child to take care of his/her things also teaches him/her to be responsible.
Remember, teaching kids to be responsible is not an easy job for the parents. And this takes a lot of years of practice.
But if you are just patient and won’t give up that easily, you will stand a better chance of seeing your child grow into a responsible adult.
/dbs
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