Does your child volunteer to help you but you’re worried that she’ll just make a bigger mess? Relax, Mama. This mom shares why letting your kid help with the chores at an early age will be so beneficial in the long run.
In this article, you’ll read:
- Letting your kid help with chores – what if she makes a mess?
- Benefits of getting your child involved with the housework
One of the challenges that a mother will experience in her motherhood journey is doing household chores while attending to her child at the same time. Have you ever experienced preparing for lunch while carrying your little one? Or when you’re about to finish washing the clothes, your kid suddenly wakes up and wants to come with you?
Have you experienced sweeping the floor and your kid decides to imitate you and ends up spreading out all the dirt you’ve just collected? Or did your child ever mess up all the clothes you just neatly folded? Nakakaimbyerna hindi ba? You’ll probably turn into a Momster or a Dinomom at that instant!
Kids doing chores – are they actually helping?
Now, let us look at the bright side and try to put our feet in their shoes. What would you possibly want to do when you see your mom doing these things?
Our kids, especially from 1 to 6 years old, are in their exploring state, wanting to try new things on their own and imitating what they see around them. These first years are the best time to teach, start a habit and instill responsibility in our kids.
Knowing these factors, we can now consider letting your kid help with the chores!
But the dilemma is this: you might feel that if you allow them to get involved, it slows you down, and instead of helping, they actually add to the work.
You might think that letting your kid “help” with the chores might just waste your precious time. But remember this, part of our responsibility as a parent, aside from taking care of them and watching over them, is we need to teach them the basics in life.
Walang break sa pagiging ina. Maglalaba ka, nanay ka pa rin. Magluluto ka, nanay ka pa rin. Magwawalis ka, nanay ka pa rin. This is why we learn to multitask and do household chores while looking after the kids.
But it’s okay to get them involved with the chores because the reality is they’re also members of the household, and they need to learn about these things at some point. So let them help you.
Isama mo sa paglalaba, isali mo sa pagtitiklop ng damit, i-guide mo sa pagliligpit at ituro mo ang pagluluto. They won’t be messing up with our work if we teach them how to do it. In fact, letting your kid help with the chores comes with a lot of benefits not only to him but to his parents as well.
Benefits of getting kids involved with chores
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It helps develop life skills and good behavior
Making them do chores at home allows them to get moving and gets some exercise in. Their bones and muscles are at work, and they learn that they are able to do something or hit a milestone. They also develop social skills and interact with other people. They learn to respond properly to someone who needs help.
I remember an instance when I just finished folding a big pile of clothes. I couldn’t carry them all in one go, so I decided to carry some and go back for the rest later. But to my surprise, my daughter Amara was already behind me, carrying the bed sheets and pillowcases that I left behind. Nakakatuwa, ‘di ba?
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They learn to be responsible and independent
I am a full-time mom so there is nobody else left in the house except me and Amara every time Daddy leaves for work. I started getting Amara involved with the cleaning and organizing when she was about 1 year and a half. Now, I notice her responsibility when it comes to keeping our place tidy.
Every time she sees a piece of paper on the floor, she will throw it in the trash automatically. When she’s done with her snack, she also puts the wrapper without being told. She puts the remote control back in the proper place. She puts her slippers outside the house.
It’s amazing that these little gestures that our kids do show that they know they can do it themselves, and they don’t need us to give them instructions every time. Along with being independent, their self-esteem also gets a boost when they know about their own strengths and capabilities.
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It makes them feel part of the household
Being a part of the household is one way that you can feel loved by your family. It is the same with our children. They feel loved and trusted if we allow them to do their share of the work. They need to know that they have a role as an individual too.
Even as simple as recognizing his or her plate, what his clothes are, and his place in the dining table, he feels empowered that he is a member of your family.
Arranging our chairs by the dining table taught Amara that she has a place with us during mealtime. She knows that we need to eat together and she knows where her place is. It’s amazing that after she eats, she remembers to push her chair back under the table.
READ MORE:
8 Household chores that count as exercise to keep you fit and productive
Marunong ba sa gawaing bahay si bunso? Narito ang 6 chores na puwede niyang gawin
Mom of an Independent Toddler Shares 3 Tips on Helping Child Reach Her Milestones
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It keeps them busy
Letting your kid help with chores will keep him busy. This is a good way to divert their attention from gadgets.
As a mother, I don’t want my daughter to spend the entire day watching TV or playing games on the screen. As much as possible, I want to limit her screen time. The first reason is that I am concerned about her eyes.
Secondly, studies actually proved that excessive use of gadgets can affect our kids’ character such as impatience and irritability. This addiction can lead to some emotional problems and moral development disorders in our kids, and we do not want that!
Do you notice that when you’re child is using a gadget or watching, he does not pay attention to everyone around him? That is how their brains are being entertained by these games or shows.
Syempre, kung minsan ay kailangan lang talaga na pagamitin sila ng gadget lalo na kung mayroong importanteng trabaho si Mommy o si Daddy, but, remember, lahat ng sobra ay masama. And for us to avoid that, give them something to do, such as handing you a hanger when you’re hanging the clothes, or asking them to give you a specific color of cloth while folding.
There are many other ways to enjoy their company while doing chores. They will never get bored at home because they are devoting themselves to work that makes them productive with you.
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It allows you to spend time together
Minsan lang silang bata. Cherish every moment with them. Your presence is much more valuable than the toys you give them. So spend time with them. Sometimes, just knowing you’re together helping your child feel calm and safe. That’s how important our presence is to our child.
Doing chores together is also a great way to spend time with your kid. Not only will you be able to have quality time with your child, but you can also show that doing chores is a fun thing to do!
Letting your kid help with chores will make him understand na ang gawing bahay ay hindi lang gawain ng Nanay, kundi ng buong pamilya na nakatira sa bahay.
Enjoy parenthood. Don’t stress out if they’re making a mess as they help out. Instead, be flexible, patient at creative sa paggawa ng household chores kasama ang mga bagets!