Teaching children to be responsible is no easy task. As a parent, I feel frustrated often over my kids being responsible on their own. However, despite the frustrations that may occur, it is so important to instill responsibility at a young age.
First grade is a great age to start with simple chores. Developmentally, children at this age want to please you. Let them help you choose a job they can do. Keep it realistic. Make it something that they truly can do. If they choose something like cooking, let them help you, but be sure to give them something that can be accomplished independently as well.
Some things that they should be responsible for at age 6/7 right now are: putting their lunch box in their backpack. keeping their homework papers in their folder and their folder in their backpack, hanging up coat or jacket after school, putting backpack away after homework.
Instilling this habits now will help later when they aren't so keen on pleasing mom and dad! Adding a chore will help them realize that everyone helps out in the household. Chores can be simple and fun. Emma loves to empty the dishwasher. She can't quite reach where everything goes, but she has learned to stack the plates on the counter in front of the cabinet. Meagan loves to vacuum. Find one thing they like and let them do it.
In bible this past week, we discussed responsibility and our attitude toward it. We talked about how our attitude should reflect God and how we should be doing things with God in our heart always, even if it is a job we don't like very much. Some of the children shared that cleaning the litter box is kind of yucky or picking up toys is boring, etc. But, if we help with these jobs with a smile on our face, we are pleasing God and hat is the ultimate goal!
So, I hope that this will inspire to engage in a discussion with your child about how he/she can help and be responsible around your house.
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
First grade is a great age to start with simple chores. Developmentally, children at this age want to please you. Let them help you choose a job they can do. Keep it realistic. Make it something that they truly can do. If they choose something like cooking, let them help you, but be sure to give them something that can be accomplished independently as well.
Some things that they should be responsible for at age 6/7 right now are: putting their lunch box in their backpack. keeping their homework papers in their folder and their folder in their backpack, hanging up coat or jacket after school, putting backpack away after homework.
Instilling this habits now will help later when they aren't so keen on pleasing mom and dad! Adding a chore will help them realize that everyone helps out in the household. Chores can be simple and fun. Emma loves to empty the dishwasher. She can't quite reach where everything goes, but she has learned to stack the plates on the counter in front of the cabinet. Meagan loves to vacuum. Find one thing they like and let them do it.
In bible this past week, we discussed responsibility and our attitude toward it. We talked about how our attitude should reflect God and how we should be doing things with God in our heart always, even if it is a job we don't like very much. Some of the children shared that cleaning the litter box is kind of yucky or picking up toys is boring, etc. But, if we help with these jobs with a smile on our face, we are pleasing God and hat is the ultimate goal!
So, I hope that this will inspire to engage in a discussion with your child about how he/she can help and be responsible around your house.
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.