Dad, Give Them Household Chores!

You have a chore to do around the house and you
kids want to help out somehow. You know that it might nbe nice for them to help but you're feeling a bit impatient.

And you know that it might turn into a two hour project andnthere might be a big mess to clean up. A mess that could nbe avoided if you did it yourself.

We've all been there, haven't we?

It can be so much easier to do the household chores and nprojects without the assistance from your little friends. After nall, who's got the time in today's world to make a project longer nthan it needs to be?

You do.

Why is it important to include your kids in household tasks?

Once in a while there is some research that unveils something nthat's so important and relevant that it screams for parents to nhear it.

Researcher Marty Rossman at the University of Minnesota studied na group of young adults from the time they were young children.
The startling results of the study were that the young adults who nhad participated in household chores when they were age 3 and 4 nwere more successful as adults than those who didn't.

Specifically, these young adults were more likely to complete their neducation, get a good start on a career, develop adult relationships, nand avoid the use of drugs. The early participation in householdnchores was deemed more important in their success than any other nfactor, including IQ.

On the other hand, if children did not begin participating in household nchores until they were teenagers, the experience seemed to backfire nand had a negative effect on their success as young adults, using those nsame measures.

What does this really mean?

When your young kids feel as though their dad (or mom) believes they're ncapable of handling simple chores around the house, it is an incrediblynpowerful message to them.

Dad believes I can do it!

If your kids believe that's how you feel about them as they go through life, nyou're a genius. You'll also be the father of confident, responsible, happy kids.
That's what is created when you choose to see your kids as capable andnyou believe in them.

But it's not as easy as just seeing them as capable. You also have to show npatience with them when they tackle these chores. You can't take over for nthem when they struggle or "correct" what they did.

This will only serve to undermine their confidence and discourage them.

Imagine the difference you can make with your kids by allowing their nparticipation in the family chores. Imagine the difference in your kids nesteem level that results from encouraging them rather than criticizing them.

You do have time to include your kids in chores and projects at home. Tell nevery other father and mother you know that they have time, too.

It's too important not to.