Did you know kids who do chores are more likely to be successful? It’s just plain science. The Harvard Grant Study cited in this Inc.com article pulls out some important findings in the longest running study in history.
Kids who did chores had more professional success than their non-chore doing counterparts. And the earlier they start, the better. It boils down to a person’s willingness to do jobs no one else wants to do and to a willingness to pitch in toward the organization’s goals. Kids learn both of these traits when chores are a part of life.
Get Started
But how do you get your kids started on chores? What chores are appropriate for my kids to do?
There’s no simple answer. And yes, at first it may be more work as they learn to correctly complete their chores. But in each incomplete job there’s an opportunity for learning. You’ll discover how your kids approach work and get the chance to guide them. If you’re looking for some insight on how to get your kids and young adults helping with age appropriate chores, we’re here to help.
Chore Charts
Castle-keepers.com has provided some nice Chore Charts for Kids. Each chore chart is based on an age range and offers the flexibility to scratch or add anything you want. Each family and each child is different, so your chore charts will be different. For example, the chore chart for 2-3 year olds include:
- Make the bed
- Take clothes to laundry room
- Put away laundry
- Pick up toys
- Dust furniture
- Feed pets
- Put clothes in dryer
- Match socks
- Clear place after meals
Not only will this give your child important character traits important for career success, but they’ll be more engaged in the family by taking ownership for their part. Also, if your kids use these chore checklists, they’ll get the added benefit of motivation and satisfaction.
According to this article, checklists are a form of small goal setting and achieving. Kids get the chance to see their week’s goals and then to check it off. This can also lead to bigger accomplishments as kids learn to break big jobs into a bunch of smaller ones. It’s not cleaning the house — it’s this checklist of small things to do.
Journals
If your child already has a journal, keeps one for school or you’ve considered it, then that’s a great tool to help them incorporate chores. Each day’s journal entry can have a spot for what chores they accomplished. You can find journals specifically for helping kids track chore progress. Heck, they can even write about how they feel about chores. According to this article, journal writing can boost a child’s emotional intelligence.
There’s an App for That
Yes, there’s even an app to help your kids do chores. In fact, there’s more than one! One Mom, Brooke Wise, uses an app called You Rule Chores and has her saying, “who are these children?” according to this Wall Street Journal article. These apps turn chores into a game, complete with avatars, gold coins and rewards for real world bonuses (like TV time or ice cream).
Safety
It should go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway. Some chores are not safe for certain aged children. For example, a 4-year old is not ready to mow the lawn or clean the garbage disposal. Even something as simple as cleaning up around the kitchen requires a safety mindset. What chemicals are kids exposed to? Even exposure to their skin can cause harm, so pick your chores accordingly and if appropriate consider safety gear like gloves and goggles.
No Doubt
There’s no doubt about the value of a strong work ethic and the best way to teach your kids this is through chores. It might be hard work to get them doing hard work, but it will be worth it in the long run. They’ll really start helping around the house and begin doing work which was solely your responsibility before. Plus, they’ll be better and happier adults for it.
If you haven’t already or need some creative approaches, get started implementing some of the tools above today.
