A few years ago, when she was on a mother-daughter trip with my eldest daughter, she kindly informed me that it was time for the two youngest members of our family to take on a few more family responsibilities. Their reasoning was that they were getting older and very capable of doing more if we were to teach them. I had to ponder her suggestion and found that I hadn’t taught her like the older three. She was right – it was time to teach the next two in line.
Now that this realization was made it was time. I had to start delegating more tasks around the house. This is the right delegate for my children, they have been able to help and do some of the family and domestic chores.
What about you mom Is it time to delegate some of these family responsibilities to your children?
So the BIG question: How can we not only delegate, but actually get our children to step in and take on some of the daily chores:
Say it – be proactive. Don’t just make a list and expect everyone to jump in and help out. Have a family reunion and talk about how you are a family and each member must have a share in family and domestic responsibilities.
Let it go. Don’t criticize or expect them to do it perfectly. Let it go and micromanage every task in your home.
Share it – Make a list of all the tasks your kids can help you with and divide it up. Be sure to rotate them every week or every month.
Show It – Take the time to model your kids and teach them how to do each task. Telling them to do it without a class can result in a task not getting done the way the mother hoped.
Schedule It – Decide when is the best time to do housework and when to do any assigned housework so your kids can do their part to keep them committed to the schedule.
Praise it – When your children do their chores, praise them, let them know they did a good job, and you’ll be grateful for their help.
Yes, it takes some time, effort, and patience. In the end it’s worth it.
Do you need ideas about what tasks your children can do for their age? Click here for a list of age-appropriate tasks.