After an emotionally charged first day at school, feeding the dog or drying dishes is undoubtedly the furthest thing from any child’s mind.
Parenting experts say learning to juggle chores and homework is exactly what children need to help them develop confidence, self belief and a sense of responsibility.
Dr Nadia Loewke, a medical doctor with a special interest in mental health, says the general consensus is that it is good for children to participate in household chores.
Loewke says it teaches the child responsibility and enables them “for later in life”.
“It gives the child a sense of competence, teaches adulthood skills, and allows them to feel they are contributing to the family,” she says.
“Parents are often caught in a paradigm of feelings of resentment if the children don’t help vs fearing that they are applying more pressure in an already stressful routine for their child.”
Loewke says parents often feel apologetic about giving their children chores, rather than realising that this gives them a role in the household and creates a feeling of security.
“They (children) become empathetic to others and are more compassionate towards their colleagues later in life.”
Should your child be doing chores:
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Creative parenting expert, Nikki Bush says chores teaches a child set skills that are different to what they learn at school.
Bush says children as young as three-years-old can should be tasked with chores.
“No household can exist without chores being done,” Bush says.
“Parents need to be invitational and include children in the chores from a young age, from as young as three-year-old.
“Often busy parents default to doing everything themselves because it is quicker and more efficient.”
Bush suggests starting off with simple chores like feeding pets, hanging their towels, making their bed and clearing plates from the table.
“These are everyday chores and many hands make light work."
“This is a first form of working as a team and these chores do not take long, so it can be incorporated into the daily routine even on school days when children have homework.”
Bush adds: children who become competent at doing chores develop confidence and self-belief in their ability and themselves, because parents believe enough in their children to give them age-appropriate responsibility.