Teaching Children to Work

This week my husband and I watched a video by Michael Pearl called Teaching Responsibility. I am really impressed with his wisdom. I like his practical down-to-earth manner on dealing with children. I know a lot of parents don’t agree with him but I’m not one of them – I really think he has a lot of insight into child rearing.

In the video he says children should work with you before they know what work really is. If you wait until they’re old enough to really help you, you are sitting yourself up for grumbling and complaining. Children want to feel needed and enjoy working alongside you. For example, when you’re washing dishes, have them sit on the counter beside the sink with a plastic cup and scrubber so that they can help, too.

Today I decided to try that out with Audrey (3yo). I had a very wrinkled pillowcase that needed ironed and so I lowered the ironing board to her level so she could iron. She was delighted that it was her right height and that she was able to iron my pillow case. She told everyone in the family about what she had did. Of course, I was right there the whole time, helping her lower the iron to the case since it can be a bit heavy.

Why not let the children help you now while they’re so eager? Time spent together bonding (doesn’t that sound nice), working with your little ones and teaching them useful skills.

Here are some other things she’s been doing. I caught her folding this all on her own. She’s been helping me fold sheets, too. Russell (my dh) found her folding her nightgown and putting it away after she awoke one morning. Now ladies, this may be what girls just tend to do because I know my boys never folded anything unless they had to – even to this day (almost!). In other areas though, they are a big help to me and their daddy for which I am most grateful.