Young children love being with their parents. Not surprisingly, they hang around even when Mum is busy with housework. Many would even offer to “help”. Most parents will politely decline the help because things get done much quicker without the little helpers around.
However, parenting experts generally encourage parents to nurture this natural enthusiasm to help. “By taking the time to prepare the environment and to teach children patiently to do things step by step, you continue the process of teaching skills as well as attitudes about work,” writes Tim Seldin, President of the Montessori Foundation and author of How to Raise an Amazing Child [Dorling Kindersley, 2007].
Provide Child-sized Equipment
Seldin suggests that parents start by giving children equipment that match their sizes. Mini-sized brooms, mops, buckets and gardening tools are easily available from supermarkets and hardware stores. Stools will also be needed to help children reach higher places like the kitchen sink. Show the child how to use each equipment properly. Child safety is crucial. So a parent’s presence and supervision is essential when young kids are handling these equipment.
Break Tasks into Smaller Parts
What seems to be a simple task for adults can be complex for young children. So try to break a task into several small steps. For instance, to teach a child to sweep away some debris on the floor, first make a square on the floor with a colored tape to give the child a target for her to sweep the debris to. Ask her to use both hands to hold the broom as she sweeps the debris into the square. Next, get her to use a dust pan and a brush to pick up the bits. Finally, she needs to hold the dust pan and carefully carry it to the rubbish bin.
Repeat Tasks
Children learn by practice and repetition. So it will take them a lot of practice and probably weeks or months to master the art of dusting, sweeping, pouring water into a cup or washing up. Seldin also stresses that while a child is learning a new skill, it’s important to ritualize the steps and ensure that everything is done using the same equipment and following the same order each time.
Help the Child whenever Needed
Help the child to help with household chores. Remember, the point is not to turn them into real workers at this stage. “Don’t treat these tasks as your child’s job or responsibility. They are the first step in that direction, but children as young as three aren’t ready to have a chore list just yet,” says Carol Cooper, co-author of Your Child Year by Year [Dorling Kindersley, 2008]. Instead, she says parents should make things easy for kids by lowering things for their heights and having easy-to-handle, child-level storage.
Avoid Nagging or Criticizing the Child
A young child may be eager to help one minute only to prefer another more interesting activity the next. Don’t despair and don’t nag. Give it a rest if she’s lost the interest to help. Parents who approach things without nagging, criticisms and high expectations are more likely to have kids who enjoy helping at home when they grow older.
Young children need help and guidance when they start showing signs of willingness to do household chores. Encourage them by providing them with child-sized equipment, breaking tasks into smaller parts, repeating tasks, helping them when needed and avoiding nagging or criticisms.
Those who find this article useful may also like to read Getting Older Children to do Household Chores, Kids and Household Chores and Types of Household Chores for Children.
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