She knows... LOVE HEALTH ENTERTAINMENT RECIPES ... See everything! Get the FREE SheKnows Network news and updates email newsletter: She Knows Experts Parenting : Chores: What they mean to your child Chores: What they mean to your child Gail Gross, EdD Children learn things at the knees of their mothers that they can't get anywhere else. They learn about life and how to experience it. Parents really are the first teachers and dare I say it the home the first schoolhouse. As parents, we have embarked upon the journey of guiding a new member of our species into adulthood successfully. Life lessons In the beginning, we want to be sure that we teach our children the life skills that will allow them to take care of themselves when we are no longer around or not wanted around. But then, we realize that as a lateral benefit, not only is our child learning good housekeeping skills, but also dexterity, task mastery, and self-sufficiency, which leads to a self-actualized child. This is the child that we all hope and dream for the leader who can withstand peer pressure, rather than Âfollow the herd consciousness. Children that feel secure, and valued, as part of a connected group called family are more likely to be positively reinforced rather than perform for approval. As children are made to feel a valued part of their family, their importance to the group gives them pride and a sense of contribution. When assigning chores, remember to begin at the beginning. Think back to your youth. ThatÂs right all the way back. Can you even recall when or where you first learned to make a bed, wash a dish or launder an article of clothing? Probably not! | |
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