Kids Chores
Is there value in giving children chores? Maybe a small task around the house or should children concern themselves with little more than play?
Our parenting styles are all different; attachment, nurturing, concerted cultivation, helicopter, strict, slow, punishment/reward, Christian and aware, and of course, like most a combination of all.?Authoritative, authoritarian, neglectful and indulgent parenting styles are the main categories and most loosely fall into them and are self-explanatory.
Attachment is gaining strong bonds through a holistic understanding of your child.
Nurturing is a family model letting the child explore the world under the watchful eye of the family.?This reminds me of the Montessori method.
Some parents choose to give their children a strict environment where the boundaries are clearly laid out. While others choose a more friendly approach, emotion based sharing where talking to the children like adults or friends is the key factor.
Concerted cultivation caught my attention, as it is a North American parenting style I am all too familiar with. These are the families running from one extra curricular activity to the next trying to foster their child?s talent.
The helicopter mom micromanages each and every action, clearing a path before the child, trying to control and save them from any bad experience.
Slow parenting gives children less structured activity, instead focusing on the child?s natural ability to learn, allowing children to be children and explore their environment at their own pace.
Slow, nurturing yet strict environment are our family?s parenting style choices. We have resorted to a vast combination of all the styles at different times depending on the situation and the severity of our children?s behaviour.
No matter what your style, or what name you give it, giving them chores may have a positive outcome.
While Alfonz was away during the fall break in Hungary, Daniel and Angelina helped around the house. I noticed a pride that developed in both children, being able to fill in the gap my husband left behind. Both kids brought in firewood, helped set and clear the table for each meal, loaded and unloaded the dishwasher, as well as their normal chores: feeding the cat, cleaning their rooms, making their beds and putting their clothes away after I launder them. If I ask them to do something around the house, they do it. Sometimes hesitantly, but they do it.
Daniel stepped up on his own accord, when he noticed I was too busy fixing the washing machine after it broke and took initiative and made us lunch. After that he simply asked if he could take on that task as his own and took it upon himself to fill in the gap when I could not.
One morning, after a rare lay-in with a head cold, I came down stairs to catch my daughter cleaning the kitchen. Being so short, she managed to clean the fascia of the cupboard doors with a sponge and soapy water until they shined. She also tidied up the living room, putting away anything out of place, which I normally do, but was too sick to do the night before.
Not everything we try works and their can be conflict. Our home has a strict set up and the rules are clear as to what the children are and are not allowed to do but within that structure the children are able to roam freely and question everything as well as push their boundaries. We create a safe environment for them to learn and as they grow their freedom increases as do their chores.
Our family expectation is that everyone has a part in things running smoothly. We help each other in the daily functions and take care of the things we have, respecting our home and getting things done.
What I did not expect is that the children would take the initiative when there was a hole in the system.?Acting as a team, the children naturally took it upon themselves to complete the tasks they saw each day completed that were not being done. It was never asked of them it just happened.
What do you think? Should children be part of the daily chores of the house, or concern themselves with their own tasks?
I would also love to know what parenting style your family has developed over the years?
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Happy and Safe Travels, The Hamori Family That's Hamori is a family adventure journal dedicated to our move to Europe. Why not start living your best life today? We invite you to follow along on our travels, from Vancouver to Budapest to South France as we pursue happiness and live our dream life.Green Coffee Bean Extract september 11 adam levine 9/11 Memorial jessica simpson chris brown 911
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