Parenting Perspective: The importance of chores

January 12, 2010

Most experts agree, but the challenge is figuring out the right amount of responsibility. It has to be a balancing act, because a child can become overloaded with schoolwork, sports, extracurricular activities, and then household chores. Just like adults, children need downtime. But having a role in helping out around the house can provide a number of life skills.

For Nicholas, he enjoys participating in keeping our home organized and neat. And according to one child psychologist whose work I've read, a child can develop important social skills through participation.

Here are some of the other benefits of assigning chores:

1. The child can learn how to prioritize tasks, time management and general organizational abilities.
2. The child learns how to start, work at and complete a job.
3. The child understands he is part of a community or team (the family).

Some parents I've talked to don't expect their kids to do any household work, feeling it's not worth the aggravation of trying to get them to do it, or having to do the chore over themselves because the child didn't do it right the first time. Sounds reasonable, but that means you have to find other ways to teach your kid responsibility.

Good luck.

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