In our household there are five of us; two adults who work full-time and three children. It is busy!
For some time now my children have undertaken various chores around the house which have varied from being a vet and attending to the family dog; walking, watering and feeding, being a garbage person and taking the rubbish out daily; recycling and putting bins on the kerb, to working in a launderette and bringing in all the washing, folding and putting it away.
Each week they will rotate through each role in order to help and support our family home needs.
The chores they are expected to complete are in addition to them keeping their rooms clean and packing their bags and lunches for college.
There are occasions where my children will offer to do other chores around the home, such as clean the car or their bathroom.
This morning my 12 year old asked me if there was anything which he could do to help more because he knew that I would be late home, having to pick up his brother from Oztag.
Immediately I jumped at this opportunity and suggested that he vacuum the floors.
I explain this for two reasons.
Firstly, I am a huge believer in allowing them to take ownership and responsibility over their environment. By doing chores their sense of family belonging develops and they experience the effort and hard work it takes to work as a unit. In developing this ethic within the home it is hoped that the values will be carried out into the community.
Secondly, and having read around the subject of children doing chores, it can enhance diligence, collaboration and they are more able to take on tasks independently.
In the Harvard Grant Study, it suggests that doing chores on a regular basis allows children to realise ‘they have to do the work of life to be part of life’. It allows them to identify when someone needs help and to be part of a solution where they can offer their help and expertise.
So, when my son asked me if there was anything else he could do to help, not only did I jump at the chance to offload some of the chores but I also saw it as an ‘ah ha’ moment where persistence and perseverance prevailed.
Throughout this week there have been several times I would have asked a student to pick up some rubbish or clean a table. Most students will do it without raising question. There are however, a few students who have responded with ‘it’s not my mess’ or ‘I didn’t make the mess’. To this I usually respond with ‘I didn’t ask if was yours, I asked if you would pick it up’.
At CCSC we work hard on a daily basis to encourage our students to be responsible for the environment in which we all work. What a great thing it would be if we could have ‘ah ha’ moments at college because of the habits we develop at home.
So, on my return home from picking up the youngest from Oztag I opened the front door to hear the sound of the vacuum going. As my son finished he asked if there was anything else he could do. Pushing my luck I said ‘perhaps you could mop too!’ Surprised that he agreed, I got the mop for him, shouted not to leave streaks and left him to it. A few yells later he was upset that he didn’t know how to do it and there were so many streaks. I gave a quick demo and left him to figure the rest himself. Twenty minutes passed and I found him huffing, saying ‘this is hard work and now I know what you go through doing this all the time’.
To this I responded ‘you have worked really hard to make sure the floors are clean and streak free. Thank you for taking responsibility and helping, I really appreciate your work’.
The immense pride in the work done was commendable, as was his persistence and independence. Qualities that are highly regarded in not only the workplace but in a person.
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