Getting kids to do chores can sometimes be exhausting, overwhelming, and even sometimes feel useless. (Re-washing dishes anyone?) Here are the 5 benefits of kids doing chores!
1. It teaches them how to contribute.
“You live here too,” is what I say A LOT, because they do. They are living here just as much as much as I am, and I can guarantee that they are making more messes. The crumbs are endless, and the dishes are always in the sink. When our kids have chores, they learn to clean up after themselves and also how to serve others. We all contribute to the household. My 8 year old cleans the table and vacuums crumbs, while my 10-year-old unloads and reloads the dishwasher. With teamwork, they make the kitchen look so much better. I handle the handwashing of any dishes that might be leftover that can’t be loaded in the dishwasher. We all contribute to the kitchen each morning and they can see how it helps everything run smoother.
2. It sets them up for future success.
When I moved out of my parents’ house, I did not know how to cook hardly anything. I barely knew how to wash a dish and don’t even ask about laundry. My mom was an amazing mother, but she did EVERYTHING for my siblings and me. I remember telling her, when I was maybe 23 or 24, that I wish she had made me do more.
I have goals for my kids before they leave home. I want them to know how to survive properly and not have to guess how to do basic cleaning, housework, and cooking. I want them to be fully equipped in these areas.
For our kids, once they master a specific chore, they move to another one to learn. For example, my 10-year-old will learn how to properly load the dishwasher. I will have him keep the chore for probably a year. He has already been doing it for about 7 or 8 months. I won’t ask him to load it as much after that time, but I will randomly ask him, just to keep him up on remembering the task, but he won’t be expected to do it every morning. My 8-year-old will start learning how to load it next. I want them to be confident in each chore and improve every time. By the time they fly the nest, they won’t even have to think about how to do these things.
3. It helps YOU!
We would do anything for our kids, but do we seriously have to do EVERYTHING? Nope. Once they learn to do things on their own, they are more self-sufficient and rely less on you. This is bittersweet, but on days when it seems like the dishes and laundry are mountains, and the floor is covered in so much stuff you might fall, you will be so grateful for kids who know how to do the job right!
4. It helps them learn money.
We also offer incentives for contributing. Basically, they get an allowance, but only if they do a good job, and without whining. They have had plenty of weeks where they didn’t earn the maximum potential. When they want to buy something, and don’t have enough money, they definitely try harder. They want that “payday”.
Check out my other post on what my kids chores are and how much we pay them!
5. They know how to help others outside of their own home.
Can you believe my kids have offered to help with chores they know how to do at other people’s houses? It is true! They are proud that they know how to do the task and want to show others. It is sweet to see them take initiative to help.
