Involve children in household chores
Dec 03, 2006
SEVERAL childhood lessons remain etched in my mind, but one particular lesson rings loud every day. “I am not grooming you for this home, but for the world. Responsibility is a price you have to pay if you are to leave your mark in the world,†my father kept reminding me.
PARENTING - Wagwau Jamesa
SEVERAL childhood lessons remain etched in my mind, but one particular lesson rings loud every day. “I am not grooming you for this home, but for the world. Responsibility is a price you have to pay if you are to leave your mark in the world,†my father kept reminding me. As a child, I realised that I would never acquire any responsibility skills by being a passive observer, but by being actively involved in household chores. We were so involved in household chores that our house helper would often be rendered redundant!
Times have changed and the scenario in many homes makes children believe it is criminal for them to work in the presence of a house helper. They grow up with the mentality of being ‘served’ so much that they can hardly take charge of their own lives.
Is the presence of a house helper stifling your child’s chances of developing responsibility skills?
Your home is expected to provide the child with more than just food and accommodation; it is a ‘school of responsibility.’
As the long holiday dawns, ask yourself what your home is moulding your child into.
When was the last time you shared a household chore with your child, enjoyed a meal prepared by your child or carried out a task together with your child at home? Has the presence of a house helper deprived your children of their right to acquire responsibility skills? Did you know that there is a close link between career success and involvement of children in household chores? Research carried out by Marty Rossman at the University of Minnesota, USA revealed that participation in household chores gives children a good start in their career as adults.
Shielding your child from chores is like depriving them of their future. Keeping your child in comfort while the house helper toils to do it all, could be one of the subtlest forms of child abuse.
Indeed, exempting your child from household chores might look like a ‘love gesture’, but the child will harvest the consequences with full interests. You might have made mistakes in the past, but this holiday could open up a new chapter in your home. You are not moulding your child to be a failure in life, are you? How about sending your house helper on leave this holiday? It would make a big difference in your child’s life. Let us explore some reasons why you should send your house helper on leave this holiday:
House helpers are human beings and leave is an appreciation of their service
Your children need to learn how to take charge of the home in your absence. This might not be possible in the presence of a house helper.
Involvement in household chores instill a sense of responsibility in children and cultivates a lifetime love for work. Depending on other people to do what you can do is a recipe for a lifetime failure.
December holidays present a unique privilege that enables you to bond with your child through shared activities. It is an opportunity to understand your child deeper and to make a lasting mark in his or her life.
Success in life is more of a product of responsibility than intellectual superiority. Remember that home-based skills are not acquired through passive observation. The child must be actively involved. Have a fruitful holiday!
jwagwau@newvision.co.ug
0772-631032
SEVERAL childhood lessons remain etched in my mind, but one particular lesson rings loud every day. “I am not grooming you for this home, but for the world. Responsibility is a price you have to pay if you are to leave your mark in the world,†my father kept reminding me. As a child, I realised that I would never acquire any responsibility skills by being a passive observer, but by being actively involved in household chores. We were so involved in household chores that our house helper would often be rendered redundant!
Times have changed and the scenario in many homes makes children believe it is criminal for them to work in the presence of a house helper. They grow up with the mentality of being ‘served’ so much that they can hardly take charge of their own lives.
Is the presence of a house helper stifling your child’s chances of developing responsibility skills?
Your home is expected to provide the child with more than just food and accommodation; it is a ‘school of responsibility.’
As the long holiday dawns, ask yourself what your home is moulding your child into.
When was the last time you shared a household chore with your child, enjoyed a meal prepared by your child or carried out a task together with your child at home? Has the presence of a house helper deprived your children of their right to acquire responsibility skills? Did you know that there is a close link between career success and involvement of children in household chores? Research carried out by Marty Rossman at the University of Minnesota, USA revealed that participation in household chores gives children a good start in their career as adults.
Shielding your child from chores is like depriving them of their future. Keeping your child in comfort while the house helper toils to do it all, could be one of the subtlest forms of child abuse.
Indeed, exempting your child from household chores might look like a ‘love gesture’, but the child will harvest the consequences with full interests. You might have made mistakes in the past, but this holiday could open up a new chapter in your home. You are not moulding your child to be a failure in life, are you? How about sending your house helper on leave this holiday? It would make a big difference in your child’s life. Let us explore some reasons why you should send your house helper on leave this holiday:
Success in life is more of a product of responsibility than intellectual superiority. Remember that home-based skills are not acquired through passive observation. The child must be actively involved. Have a fruitful holiday!
jwagwau@newvision.co.ug
0772-631032