Kate Silverton Instagram – Kids helping with the chores – where do you stand ?
For me as a parent, collaboration builds connection, it builds a sense of the family as a unit – a team – and doing chores around the house together in what I call a big ‘team tidy’ helps to cement strong bonds because we are ‘all in it together’ …but how does it feel for you ?
A mum who is solo parenting reached out this week to ask my advice.
For young children we can be playful – encouraging them to help us tidy away toys and put them ‘to bed’ and kiss them all goodnight as we do.. making a game out of throwing toys to each other and seeing if we can aim them into their correct baskets ..
For older children we can make tidy up time playful too – putting on music, making up silly dances as we vaccum or make the bed… using this time to connect with our children not making it FEEL like a chore will have them more inclined to help us out when they are asked given it has come to be associated with time spent with us – which all our kids crave
I also explain to my kids, especially on the days / weeks when I am solo parenting – that I need help if I am going to be the ‘fun mum’ at bedtime who has time for games and reading .. I explain that when we work as a team the jobs get done more quickly and I can have more time snuggled up reading with them or playing a game..
My kids are not perfect ( as neither am I ) and sometimes the house can look like a wreck with pants left strewn in bedrooms and beds left unmade but I take the small wins, knowing that practice will hopefully make perfect over time and that when my children do help, they do so willingly, not because of threats or financial reward – ( although I am starting to think about pocket money as it’s good for children to begin to understand the concept – so will love to hear your thoughts on this ) but because there is a sense of belonging, a sense of wanting to help, and that we are indeed a team and that they want to help me & having fun together is seen as reward enough
Love to hear your thoughts on this topic and let me know if you manage to make any team tidies happen in your household this weekend !
#team
#parenting
#parentingtips | Posted on 04/May/2024 12:00:00
