No doubt you have done some fun springtime activities with your children: zoo trips, beach time, park play! But what about the necessary SPRING CLEANING!? Can you include children in this task in a fun, engaging, and educational way? YES! Research shows you can teach your children a sense of responsibility, competence, self-reliance, and self-worth that will stay with them throughout their lives. And the earlier the better, well not really, but 3 and 4 is NOT too early to begin including your little one in household tasks. Chores and cleaning are a great way to help our little ones take on some responsibility, take pride in completing a task, and develop a sense of gratitude! Here’s how you can include your little one:
Responsibility
Begin by making a list of all your spring cleaning tasks. And I mean all of them! This will allow your child to get a glimpse of some of the chores they may not have known existed. Then sit down and invite the kids to each pick two tasks they would like to complete. Allowing your little one to select the chore that he or she takes on, will give them a sense of responsibility. After your little one has selected a chore or two, determine a date for the task to be completed. Having a deadline will help your child gain confidence in his or her ability to complete the task as well as begin to learn time management. After you have set this up, take a moment to discuss how they are trustworthy and remind them you are excited to help them with the chore they have picked.
Take Pride
After your kids have picked a chore make a chart and display it on the refrigerator. The chart should include: The name of the chore and person completing it, the date you have selected for completion, and a column for a check mark once the task is finished. Don’t wait until the chore is finished to begin praise. Your child will need some encouragement during the process. Think about how good you feel when your spouse comments on how thankful he is that his shirts are pressed! It may be tempting to complete the task for your little one, but resist the urge. Accepting a little imperfection will go a long way in helping your child own the concept that he or she is capable and completed the task to the best of their ability not yours. It is good to work with your little one, but don’t do all the work for them.
Gratitude
Model for your little one the trait of gratitude. Our children look to us to provide examples of how to experience life. This means manners at the table, how we talk to others, and even Daddy’s driving words! 😉 Upon completion of the task your little one picked, make a big deal over how they did! This can be a good excuse for a fun dinner outing where you publicly discuss the specifics of what and how your little one worked. Be specific in your praise, find one or two life skills you saw exhibited in your child: “Zoe was very organized in the way she cleaned out her closet, practicing her math skills by multiplying the shoes as she went through them! Dylan was so focused on his task, determined to follow through as he organized his bookshelf! I am so proud of his willingness to donate some books to other kids, what a great idea Dylan!”
Have fun with your Spring Cleaning! If you want to come help me with mine, I will make a chart for you! 😉
