We’ve all heard it’s important to have your kids do chores. But did you know Science actually suggest they do? Check out why this is important for kids and their development.Find out why Kids and Chores go hand in hand.

Does Your Child Do Chores? Science Suggests They Should.

It can often seem like chores are a thing of the past. Kids are overscheduled with activities, over-protected and over-directed. They also seem to have less of an understanding of responsibility and how things get accomplished. Does your child do chores? Science suggests they should. Well, science and the former Dean of Freshman at Stanford University, Julie Lythcott-Haims! She completed the longest study on the subject and here is what she thinks.

Science Suggest They Should, Indeed, Do Chores!

 

It looks like hands-on learning and experiencing situations wins again. Children that help with chores are often more successful in life, than those that don’t. Lythcott-Haims is also the author of How to Raise an Adult and she says that kids get more out of chores than we realize.

 

What does a child get from doing chores?

 

Kid that help out at home gain an early sense of responsibility and accomplishment. They realize that messes, literally, don’t clean themselves, learn how to manage tasks and develop a stronger work ethic early on. They learn that they are an important piece of the whole.

 

When should your child start doing chores?

 

In her TED Talk, Lythcott-Haims says, “The earlier the better!”. If kids aren’t responsible for any chores, than someone else is doing it for them. By giving them a task or chore, they can contribute and see how it helps everything work more smoothly.

 

But what chores should children be doing?

 

Starting off as young as 14-15 months, kids are fully capable of cleaning up their own toys, wiping the table after meals, helping to feed the family pet and even, sorting laundry. Modern day parent seem to be stuck in the frame of mind that kids need to be groomed for academics, and they miss out on teaching them important life skills. If you are looking for some more ideas about which chores your kids can do and when, check out this article on acceptable chores for kids 14 months – 5 years old as well as a printable chore chart. 

 

It looks like we, as parents, need to change our perspectives and redefine our definitions of success. True success in life should be measured by grades, college acceptances and job offers alone. It should really be defined by work ethic, acknowledgement of responsibilities, problem-solving skills that get tasks completed and a desire to help for the well-being of the whole.

Grab a fun chore list here along with a great chore chart to use.