Some parents do not consider it necessary to involve young children in domestic work - they say, why deprive the child of carefree childhood, let him play toys and enough from him. And they are completely wrong. Child and family psychologists agree that children who start helping their parents at a younger preschool age will in the future better adapt to the situation of the kindergarten / school, experience much less problems with self-esteem, are more confident in themselves than their "carefree" peers.
On many sites, you can find approximate lists of household chores of preschool children. If you want, you can read them, but it's not necessary. After all, you, for certain, agree that your baby is unique and has a unique personality. Accordingly, an individual approach is needed here. One child and in six years will think that the mop is designed to act as a horse during the games. And another already at the age of four can this mop quite qualitatively and with pleasure conduct wet cleaning in his room.
So I will not give any hard lists here. This article is based more on personal experience and common sense, rather than on standards and theses from textbooks of pedagogy.
When to begin to teach the child to domestic duties?
In fact, a child can become your assistant at a very early age. Children learn everything through imitation of adults, and our task here is to enable the child to observe us, to catch the moment of interest in copying an action and only to help coordinate and streamline this action.
Let me give you an example from personal experience. My child at the age of one year did not like to play on his own in toys, but he demanded constant contact with me. As a result, the whole first year of his life, I did all the household chores, holding the baby in my arms or in a slingshot. Hardly having begun to walk, the son began to follow me on heels and closely to watch everything, that I do. And in a year and 2 months he wanted himself, like his mother, to unload laundry from the washing machine. Very quickly this action of entertainment turned into real help: the son took out his washed clothes from the car and gave it to me, and I hung it to dry. For every thing I brought, I thanked him for his praise and kiss. The whole procedure caused the child an unusual delight. And now, only after hearing that the washing machine has finished the cycle of washing, sonul calls me to the bathroom and gladly helps with unloading and hanging clothes.
If you are attentive to your child and allow him to take the initiative, you will easily notice what your usual activities are interesting to him to repeat. Perhaps your baby will want to put the pillows back in place when you dismantle or collect a bed. Or put an empty plate in the sink after dinner. Let him do it. Of course, at first these small steps of your child to independence will not save you time, but rather in the future they will create the basis for your true "cooperation" in home affairs. So the family responsibilities of your child will be formed in a natural way, without any special educational conversations and suggestions.
How to distribute the responsibilities of children and parents?
If you feel that your child has reached the age of the conscious, able to participate in the affairs of a family member, and there is no help or not enough from him - do not be afraid that you will be accused of "exploiting child labor", but talk with your family about the responsibilities of the child in the family. Perhaps you will meet the resistance of grandmothers, who are happy for the carefree childhood of their grandson and who are ready to do everything for him. Do not succumb. Explain to them again and again that the child of the home should have responsibilities, that this will facilitate his life in the future. And get ready to hold a "planning meeting" already with the child's participation.
To do this, first of all, make a list of small simple cases that you would like to delegate to someone from the household (for a start, 2-4 points for each person). You better know what it will be like: for example, daily brewing tea, watering indoor plants, sorting clothes, rubbing the table after breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc. Collect households for a conversation (it will be better if you get the support of your husband, other adults with whom you live in advance). Tell them how many small, seemingly unnoticeable things you have to do to keep the house clean and comfortable; about how much time they take away - the time that can be spent for a game or for a walk. Show and read the list. Invite the child and adults to choose their own business for which they are ready to respond.
The next step is instruction. Do the cases selected by the child for the first time with him, so that later you do not have to make comments about what you yourself have not explained.
Did the kid learn everything? Now watch for the daily fulfillment of commitments. Accustom the child to responsibility. Attempts of compassionate grandmothers to release him from the cases ("at least today, he is so tired") - stop. It sounds tough, but that's how you develop a sense of responsibility in your little assistant, along with basic skills, and teach him to enjoy the results of his work.
In such a case, as the distribution of the responsibilities of children and parents, be a strict but fair leader - you will see, this does not prevent you from being a loving, kind, gentle mother.