A great way to keep children occupied at home and develop a sense of responsibility in them is to get them to help around the house with small chores. Not to mention what a favour you are doing on them by teaching them essential life skills.
Even children as small as 2-3 years can help by putting away their books and toys after they have read and played with them. Another great chore for children this tiny can be folding small kitchen napkins, putting trash in dustbins, wiping low surfaces in their own room, putting away their footwear, putting their dirty clothes in the laundry bag after their clothes have been changed, putting the towel out to dry after a bath, helping to wash vegetables and fruits and many more similar chores around the house.
In addition to all of the above, if you have pets in the house, 4-6 year olds can help look after them – they can put food in the pet’s dish, pour water after cleaning the bowl, attempt to make their beds and even help put away washed laundry by matching socks and separating clothes. Children in this age group can definitely help set the table and clear it when meals are over. Watering plants is another chore that you can get your children to help out with.
7-11 years old can help with all of the above as well as take on additional responsibilities such as walking the pet, helping with meal preparations in the kitchen, helping take care of younger siblings, keeping their own cupboards and play/study areas tidy etc.
The more you involve children in small jobs around the house, the more they will get used to the idea of doing things for themselves. In India, parents tend to let their children focus on educational and other curricular pursuits rather than engage them in house work. This is also partially because of our dependence on domestic help such as maids and drivers. In doing so, we miss out on a huge opportunity to teach our children dignity of labour. Many children travel abroad for higher studies, and once there, realize that they do not have the luxury of having parents or servants to do their work for them. Adjustment is that much more difficult!
Think about it – when children know that they are responsible for keeping their rooms tidy, they won’t mess it up so much in the first place! If they have to wash dishes, they won’t dirty so many! It’s a normal human tendency.
So get them started young and gradually add to their chore list. Work alongside them showing them how to perform a particular task, and then gradually let them do it on their own. The routine should be such that you don’t have to constantly remind them to complete their chores. At the same time, don’t burden them so much that they get put off. Praise them when the job is well done – it’s a great motivator.
Let’s get going!
