May 04 2009
Toddlers and Chores
We’re getting to the point where my daughters can understand that when you play with toys or make a mess someone has to clean it up. Slowly but surely they’re starting to take on small responsibilities.
In the morning when I wake them up I ask them to “make their beds.” Usually they just pull the covers up, but it still counts for something. At night we’ve started asking them to put their toys away. There are still plenty of things for Hubby and I to put away after they go to bed, but I don’t expect them to do a perfect job. Heck, some nights I don’t put everything away.
Roo has taken an interest in the cats, so it has become her job to help feed them. One cat, Elwood, is on a special diet, so he has to eat in the laundry room. Roo will tell me if Elwood is standing at the door begging for food, then she’ll help put the bowl on the floor for him.
Many mornings all four girls want to help unload the dishwasher. After I put the knives away I’ll let them hand me different things. In all this time we’ve only had one dropped (and broken) glass.
Eventually they’ll need to take on more responsibilities, but for now I’m satisfied with the effort they make to help out.
11 Responses to “Toddlers and Chores”
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Good for you. Along with all that newly found independence should be more responsibility. It’s never too soon to help them understand how a cooperative society works. We’ve been working with a chore chart since Sam’s 2nd birthday. Granted it started with simple things like taking a nap and handing me his plate when he was finished eating, but now he is working on making his bed and he puts his dishes in the sink when he’s finished. He’s come so far in just a year!
Ckcramer: That’s pretty much how we started, too. We would make the girls put their snack bowls in the sink, etc. I haven’t started a chore chart, yet, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about.
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Jungletwins: I’m sure there are people who think I don’t make my daughters do enough… but we’ll get there eventually.
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Maryanne: I learned early on to say “let mommy take some things out of the dishwasher first. THen you can help.” It actually started with them just shutting the door when I was done.
Maryanne… wait until they want to help with laundry!
I think it’s so great that you’ve found a way to let eight little helping hands help you around the house! I learned early on that it’s so much easier to find a way to let the kids “help” than to try to keep them out of your hair long enough to do everything by yourself.
Sometimes I have to “correct” whatever they’ve helped with, but it gives them a feeling of accomplishment to know they helped me.
Most days I do that… unless they have really messy leftovers that I’m afraid they’ll spill. They really do enjoy helping so I make sure I give them things to do whenever possible.