Household chores for toddlers

Last year, Marshall and I mostly spent our days at home learning (and playing), (lots of playing!). As a stay at home mom, I do all the household chores. Dada helps me at times when he’s not that tired from work, but usually, I do everything. And then I realize, should I involve Marshall as early at his age? Anyway, we’re buddies at home so why not let him help me with all my house works? hehe! Just kidding!

But seriously, I want him to have the responsibility and lend me a hand, at the earliest possible time. It was around May last year, which I guess was a perfect time since Marshall was not yet attending his pre-school, (he was still 2 1/2 years old at that time). I started teaching him some of my basic household routine one of which is, washing the dishes.

But turns out.. uhm, just watch the video hehe πŸ˜‰

If you think kids can help with the dishes, well.. think again. #butatleastwesharedagoodlaugh

Posted by Jenelyn Palogod-UboΓ±gen on Tuesday, May 17, 2016

I thought to myself, is it still too early to give him a simple task to do since he thinks everything is just a play? But then again, when you watched the video, he still tried his best to help me in his own funny way. And I figure out, it would be better for him to learn when he is having fun. At the same time, I also need to emphasize what he is expected to do. Aside from picking up and fixing his toys after use, slowly, he was able to catch up with our routine. Here’s a video of him doing our household chores. πŸ˜‰

When he turned 3 last November, Dada and I both agreed for him to go to preschool. He’s at school every Mondays and Tuesdays for the whole day. After school, he will rest for about half an hour and we will water the plants. I asked him to do the watering daily and he’s good at reminding me cause I tend to forget about it. Every Wednesday, we both attend a half day playgroup session and then he will have the whole afternoon to rest, and play of course. Thursdays would be our weekly fun activities which coincide with some of my household chores like laundry and dishwashing or at times cooking as well, and he would help out. He would also do the dishes with me during Friday after breakfast and lunch. He’s free thereafter until Sunday. Of course, we tell Marshall how happy we are and how we appreciate it when he’s contributing to the tasks. During weekends, we would allow him to use Ipad, as a reward, only if he remembers it. If not, then better. Mind you, he’s already reminding us on Friday mornings, haha!

Most kids nowadays may be very much pampered. I’m not the perfect parent and I also have a lot of flaws when it comes to parenting, but personally, I think that involving our kids to chores is very vital to a family life. It gives them a sense of competence and responsibility, plus the fact that it lessens my stress as well. πŸ˜‰

*Proverbs 10:4-5  Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

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