By Celine Villadares
Introducing responsibilities to your child could be difficult at times. Parents of today’s generation tend to compensate for negative experiences they have observed growing up, so they tend to cater all needs of their child. This approach, if not most of the time, cultivate the sense of entitlement of today’s young ones. In order to raise them with a healthy environment and balance approach in discipline, parents must think of ways on how to engage their child to early responsibilities at home.
GIVE IMPORTANCE TO ROLES:
Children naturally look up to adults and the things they do. At some point, children tend to act like how the “adults” do; in their way of speaking or even gestures. Now, this is a good opportunity to make them involve in housework! Make your child experience the “feels” of being an adult by giving age-appropriate tasks. This can gratify their desire to be just like mom/dad.
HELPING IS CARING:
By giving early responsibilities to your child, you can also be teaching a few life lessons such as the famous saying that “helping is caring” (especially if the one that they would be helping is mom!) You can teach your young one that each family member is helping to make the house such a lovely place. You can mention about dad being the superhero by providing financial support through hard work; mom who makes sure that everyone is healthy through preparing meals. And so, you can ask your child what he/she would like to contribute to make your home cozier and warm. Every child’s dream I believe.
PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES IN HOUSEWORK:
By giving roles and emphasizing the importance of being involved in the responsibilities at home, parents can also help their child be engage in responsibilities by giving a specific task which would be a part of the child’s routine. For example, helping in setting the table for dinner every weekend would be a good routine for a 6-year old. Your child would feel valued when he partakes in a given tasks that are considered essential for the family such as dining together.
ASK FOR THEIR IDEAS:
Just as much as your child is engage in physical work in the house, let him be involve in some thinking as well! Asking for their opinion about a certain task would encourage them to come up with ideas for certain concerns. You can either ask help in decorating a corner of the house, or even making a schedule for house cleaning when everyone could spend time together productively!
BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL:
Parents, when you want to truly engage your child in responsibilities at home; be a good example. Having a helper at home is no problem; but you, being seen by your child doing and getting involved, are another. Children tend to follow what the adults portray around them. So, be a good role model.
Exposing your child to early responsibilities and engaging them into it is no easy task, however, parents can make ways in order to make these tasks seem attractive! Helping your child to see and experience work done together would be one of your best gifts to raise him up ready for the years to come.
