What are the different values that children can learn in doing household chores?

• Independence
• Basic Skills
• Responsibility
• Family Obligation
• Self Esteem
• Action towards others

It may be a repetitive piece of advice from one parent to another, but it is true that children’s values and moral being are formed within the family. Whether you are preparing the family’s favorite lutong bahay recipe or an easy to cook ulam, or you are scheduling chores around the house, keep in mind that you don’t have to do all these tasks alone.

Although children’s cognitive abilities are honed through the use of technology, they have to be taught household work which incorporates values that modern technology may not be able to teach them. Here are the values which your children can pick up when you make them participate in household chores:

Independence

It’s true that a child cannot stand alone and that they fear what they cannot understand, but you can help them fend for themselves and help them build their independence through simple chores such as sweeping the floor, wiping the table, or even folding napkins and handkerchiefs.

Tell them that one day they will have to do this on their own—for instance, when they want to spend a night over their cousins’ place—and that they should know how to handle even the easiest tasks as knowing where to place your used plates and utensils every after meals.

Eventually, they will come to realize that when a household chore presents itself, they don’t have to wait for a member of the family or the house helper, rather they can tidy things up on their own. It will grow into a realization that they try doing other things – not just household chores – by themselves provided you will guide and look out for their actions first. Too much independence could lead children to forget they still have a family to ask for help whenever they are stuck in a difficult problem.

Basic Skills

These basic skills include packing away toys when they are done playing with them, or tidying the bed (arranging pillows, folding blankets, and straightening the bed sheet) whenever they get up in the morning. You can also have them assist you in heavy tasks such as doing the laundry, cooking up a delicious easy to cook ulam, or when their father asks them to give a hand in washing the car. This way, children are given hands-on tasks which makes use of their senses—smell, touch, sight, communication, and listening—and exercises common sense as well.

It also allows you to observe your children’s weaknesses that they can improve on within a safe setting, as well as their strengths to determine whether you should teach them to do advance household work such as washing the plates, or even cooking dishes if your children do learn fast.

Responsibility

The more they get involved in day-to-day household chores, the more they get to see a pattern that laundry day falls on a weekend, or uncluttering containers are done daily. This is the process of a child learning how to become responsible. He/she doesn’t need to be told that it’s time to lay out the plates and cups on the dining table for meal-time, rather the child realizes that this is the usual hour when you ask him/her to prepare for dinner.

Somehow, it becomes embedded in them that they have a day-to-day schedule just like when it’s time to study at an hour, or when bedtime is set at this time.

There is a sense of discipline and obedience. They listen to you until they learn the schedule by heart and carry out the task even without the command.

Family Obligation

It is important to let your children know that they are being asked these household chores not because the family’s trying to stop them from having fun, nor is the family asking to “do things for them” (when you can do things without the help of your children). Rather, this is more of their part as a member of the family, and that as a member, they are expected to contribute their time and skills to help one another grow and love.

Self Esteem

Teach them their worth, and that the little things they do to assist you or other members of the family means so much and is greatly appreciated. Make them believe in themselves instead of feeling discouraged that they are making things worse through their mistake, yet make sure that you do not give them all the praise as it will form the child’s overconfidence or bring them back to the state of laziness. Keep in mind that you should help them understand that what they are doing is a great responsibility and not just a task, for the sake of.

Key Takeaway

Household chores maybe one of the difficult things to talk about with children, especially when they lack the enthusiasm and find it a bother. Still, try to introduce them to these obligations at home because it will benefit them as much as it will benefit you. Whether it is teaching them to cook a new lutong bahay recipe or helping them find their way around the house, these are great benefits that they can receive when they learn how to do household chores.