"Children should be taught to work athome", Gainesville Sun 
Sunday Supplement, A GUIDE FOR PARENTS, April 23, 1995

by Colleen Kay Porter
	
One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the ability 
to work.  They feel satisfaction in accomplishing a difficult task 
and acquire a sense of responsibility.  And as a practical matter, 
kids nowadays need to share in the family work, since most parents 
are employed outside the home and have hectic schedules.  
	
By the age of three, most children can do some simple jobs around 
the house:  feeding pets, putting away clean silverware, snapping 
green beans.  The preschool years are a great time to start, 
because they are eager to imitate and will accept work assignments 
as an expected part of their life.  
	
The first step is ensuring that the assigned job can be 
accomplished by the child, given their height, attention span and 
manual dexterity.  One consideration is finding the right tools 
for the job.  For example, a smaller child may need a sturdy step 
stool or a broom with a smaller handle to work comfortably.  We 
found that we needed to saw off the handle of a regular-sized 
broom, because most of the toy models aren't designed for serious 
work.  Toddlers can set the table with the help of placemats 
showing the outline of the plate, cup and silverware; you can make 
your own by purchasing an inexpensive vinyl placemat and tracing 
the objects with a waterproof marking pen.   We insist that our 
teenagers be able to change a tire before they can drive, but our 
daughter is not strong enough to undo the lug nuts, so we obtained 
a 4-foot metal pipe which provides the needed leverage.
	
As you start to teach your child, be very clear about your 
expectations.  Devise a checklist for each room, or write a job 
description for the task.  This can be done in pictures for 
younger children.
	
Then show them how to do the job, and work together for some weeks 
or months before you turn the job over to them, praising them for 
their efforts and being supportive when they need help.
	
Throughout the training process, there are two goals:  first, for 
the child to acquire the physical skills of doing the work, and 
second, to develop the emotional commitment to accept 
responsibility for the job. 
	
Once the parent hands the job over to the child,we need to back 
off and allow the them to do the job.  If a parent hovers over the 
child, makes critical comments, and re-does the work when company 
comes, it shows a lack of confidence and erodes the child's sense 
of satisfaction and commitment to the work.
	
Yes, we must supervise them, but try to do it with a minimum of 
criticism.  Try asking questions,  "I  noticed the bathroom hasn't been 
cleaned.  Is there anything I can help you with--do we need more 
cleanser?"  Always let them know that you trust they will do it and 
you have every confidence in their abilities.  If you must push a child 
to do something, offer to do it together; don't nag them to do it 
themselves.  And then keep them in charge by asking them which
side of the bed you should make, or whether they want you to wipe the 
counter or wash the mirror.
	
Our older children rotate jobs on a weekly basis, which gives them 
an appreciation for how much work it takes to clean each area, so 
they are less likely to thoughtlessly mess up someone else's work.   
They also tend to double-check each other's work each Saturday, 
before changing jobs:  "Mom, Soandso didn't clean under the desk, 
and I don't think it is fair for me to get stuck with it next 
week."
	
We keep track of assignments with a job chart on the refrigerator 
that has taken various forms:  sometimes a wheel that turns, 
sometimes pockets with cards.  We usually redo the chart each 
summer and fall, and present it to the family council for a 
sustaining vote.  We often make changes based on their input, and 
they seem to have a better attitude because they know the 
assignments were something they helped develop.
	
As we teach our children to work, it is important that everyone 
learns everything, regardless of gender.  Our son can cook and 
sew, and the older girls can mow lawns and use power tools. When 
our son Phillip was fourteen, we were at a potluck dinner and he 
was really impressed with a carrot bread, so he asked the cook for 
the recipe.  He was totally unselfconscious, writing down this 
recipe in front of his friends.  It may have helped that in this 
case the cook who shared the recipe was a male restaurant manager.
	
Sure there are times when it would be easier to do the work 
yourself, but in the long run, it is worth the effort to teach the 
child.  When well-meaning parents protect their children from 
housework, the children may grow up ill-equipped for the realities 
of life.  Children need to understand how much work is involved in 
managing  a house, and while the training process can be slow, 
eventually they will come to be valued helpers.