How to Raise a Responsible, Helpful Child – Start Early!

Toddlers can’t be expected to be responsible for regular chores, but it’s never too soon to give your child a little responsibility. As most young children enjoy copying their parents, now might be the perfect time to begin to teach your child that chores are there for every one to help with. Assign him safe and simple chores, such as picking up toys, carrying non-breakables between different rooms, helping to sort coloured and white laundry, dry unbreakable dishes, pots and pans, tear lettuce for salad, unpack and put away unbreakable groceries etc. Also get him into the habit of automatically putting his rubbish into the wastepaper basket, trash or recycling bin.

To keep his interest though, you’ll need to make sure that chores are fun. Supply placemats with child appeal when he’s laying the table for lunch (or why not make your own by laminating pictures taken from some of the books in Scruffy’s Bookshop), dance around the room while dusting or why not play a rhythm on the dried pots and pans with a wooden spoon?

Make sure chores are a family affair. The family that cleans, cooks or gardens together will get more done, and have a lot more fun doing it. As long as chores are handed out fairly (and children are eagle-eyed when it comes to equitable division of work) then this kind of family togetherness will encourage your children to continue to do their share as they grow up.

Keep your demands reasonable, and even if your toddler is enthusiastic about helping with the chores, don’t push for him to more than he is able or willing to do. This might cause him to become resentful of helping out later, when his more expert help will be much more useful to you.

Try not to grumble about having to do chores yourself. If you moan and complain everytime you have to empty the trash can or push a vacuum cleaner around the house, you’re sending a very clear message to your toddler that chores are unpleasant and boring, and to be avoided if at all possible. Instead try to make them more fun by playing your favourite music or singing as you work.

You’ll probably end up being surprised at how many household chores your average toddler is capable of undertaking, but do remember that many, if not all chores will require adult supervision and possibly assistance. But try not to intervene too much, a chore that’s done “all by myself” is always more satisfying for a toddler – and that satisfaction will begin to lay the foundations for your child to grow up helpful and responsible around the home.

For more on raising responsible, respectful kids, take a look at a unique toolkit from Scruffy’s Bookshop called “Kids of Character”

for books, games and other activities all hosted on line – character education your kids will enjoy while taking on board the more serious messages the activities hold.