I was part of the Every day, care™project with Whirlpool® as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars. #EveryDayCare
Up until this point my kids have been free from pretty much all responsibility. Sure, they have to put their toys away when they are finished with them, but I am usually the one keeping the house together and their rooms from looking like disaster areas. But, as they get older, I want to teach them responsibility. I am starting now with a few easy tasks that they can do to help me out (because I totally need it) and also help them become more self-sufficient and aware of what’s going on around them. I want them to know responsibility and to know what goes into these simple acts of care that seem so meaningless, because that’s what makes our world work. This is new territory for me, so I am not really an expert, but I have found a few things that work for us that I want to share in case it might resonate with you and your family. Ready? Here we go!
The first thing I am doing is setting *small* goals. I don’t want to overload them and turn the off of wanting to pitch in, so we are starting with just a few things that they can do each day to help out like making beds, feeding the dog, setting the table and helping me cook. I don’t expect them to get to them every day like clockwork at first, but if they can manage two out of four then they can build up to the whole set. Sure, asking them to only make the bed means I still have to help with their room, but a chore is a chore and that is one less thing I have to cross off my to-do list which means more quality time I get to spend with the whole family.
Another thing I am doing is sticking to a set routine. My kids excel at routines – having one helps them remember what they are supposed to do and what to expect. If they have a list of the same things to do in order every day, it is more likely that they are going to do them than if they didn’t have a set of steps to go by. I love watching them intuitively go through their steps, and it’s adorable to see them proud of their accomplishments! A few days ago I watched Whirlpool’s Every Day, care™ video and it really spoke to me about the importance of getting kids involved in family chores for a variety of reasons. Did you also know that family routines foster better social skills for preschoolers? It does, which is crucial for this stage in development.
Lastly, having a chart to track progress is a must for us. Not only does it show them what they need to do, but they love checking off each one and seeing how many stamps they can get in a row! It’s great to have a central display that helps them keep track of their progress, and at the end of the week if they have all tasks checked off I give them a little reward. It doesn’t have to be anything big or fancy, just something small that I can use as an incentive to keep trying.
It’s been a few weeks now and things are going well – the kids have started to get the hang of their daily tasks and they even look forward to checking off their list! I love that they are learning how to care for themselves and their surroundings, and it is great doing it as a family. Want to see other ways you can get the family involved together and help shape the future? Check out their Every Day, care™ video below!
