Dads, Give them Household Chores -

Home
>
Parenting
>
Dads, Give them Household Chores

Dads, Give them Household Chores

You have a chore to do around the house, and your kids want to help out. You know it might be nice for them to help, but you're feeling a bit impatient. And you know it might turn into a two hour project, with a big mess to clean up. A mess that could be avoided if you did it yourself.

We've all been there, haven't we?

It can be so much easier to do the household chores and projects without the assistance from your little friends. After all, who's got the time in today's world to make a project longer than it needs to be?

You do.

Why is it important to include your kids in household tasks?

Once in a while, there's some research that unveils something so important and relevant that it screams for parents to hear it.

Researcher Marty Rossman, at the University of Minnesota, studied a group of young adults from the time they were young children. The startling results of the study were that the young adults who'd participated in household chores when they were age 3 and 4, were more successful as adults than those who didn't.

Specifically, these young adults were more likely to complete their education, get a good start on a career, develop adult relationships, and avoid the use of drugs. The early participation in household chores was deemed more important in their success than any other factor, including IQ.

On the other hand, if children didn't begin participating in household chores until they were teenagers, the experience seemed to backfire, and had a negative effect on their success as young adults, using those same measures.

What does this really mean?

When your young kids feel as though their dad (or mom) believes they're capable of handling simple chores around the house, it's an incredibly powerful message to them.

Dad believes I can do it!

If your kids believe that's how you feel about them as they go through life, you'll also be the parent of confident, responsible, and happy kids. That's what's created when you choose to see your kids as capable, and you show them you believe in them.

But it's not as easy as just seeing them as capable. You also have to show patience when they tackle these chores. You can't take over for them when they struggle, or "correct" what they did. Often, it's what you don't do that communicates you believe in them.

Imagine the difference you can make with your kids by allowing their participation in the family chores. Imagine the difference in your kids esteem when they feel like a productive participant in the family from a young age.

You do have time to include your kids in chores and projects at home. Tell every other father and mother you know that they have time, too.

It's too important not to.

Mark Brandenburg MA, CPCC, coaches busy parents by phone to balance their life and improve their family relationships. For a FREE twenty minute sample session by phone; a FREE ecourse, ebooks, courses, articles, and a FREE newsletter, go to http://www.markbrandenburg.com or email him at mark@markbrandenburg.com.

In The News:

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/21/AR2008112102807.htmlcid=1273140708ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNET5DX3lZVYU5drzlXYhgDRzotLgQGetting Tough on Bullying/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWashington Post,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr13 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1And as mounting research shows the negative effects on both the bully and the victim, mental-health professionals, schools, bparents/b and even kids themselves b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-746-New-York-Music-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Monday-Coldplaycid=1271797112ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNEJLEXHK4CKlsAEEfGFsH453AzkaAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=GYQyxreckWcJimgurl=image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/phplAo7oVPM.jpg width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-746-New-York-Music-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Monday-Coldplaycid=1271797112ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNEJLEXHK4CKlsAEEfGFsH453AzkaA(ie San Francisco hiking, San Francisco bparenting/b)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Sherrill Fulghum, New York Music Examiner When artists record an album there is often more songs written and recorded than make it onto the album. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-1243-DC-Metro-Area-Parenting-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Safe-Haven-Child-Abandonmentcid=0ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNHDkhf5MXvQc6PubOxMDa_IeB4d4Aimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=DwTvEEwTn98Jimgurl=image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/phpi71mYJAM.jpg width=53 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-1243-DC-Metro-Area-Parenting-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Safe-Haven-Child-Abandonmentcid=0ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNHDkhf5MXvQc6PubOxMDa_IeB4d4A(ie San Francisco hiking, San Francisco bparenting/b)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Michelle Flannigan, DC Metro Area bParenting/b Examiner Last month, a mother abandoned a newborn girl in a garbage sack in Tacoma Park. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.lawrentian.com/home/news/2008/11/21/Features/Queer.Parenting.More.Than.Cute.Baby.Photos-3552084.shtmlcid=1273050426ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNE1-5SJQ6bZN8qzylpbXphpBhi7MAQueer bparenting/b: more than cute baby photos/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLawrentian (subscription),nbsp;WInbsp;-/font nobr19 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-113 four Lawrence University faculty members shared four unique versions of what it is like to be a queer bparent/b in Appleton. While each tale differed in b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-1505-Chicago-Special-Needs-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Holiday-leftoverscid=0ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNG48TyFx_JI_sqT3ziaKhJcZvynSQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=10EPqcEdldgJimgurl=image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/Jake_Liefer__photo_by.jpg width=80 height=41 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-1505-Chicago-Special-Needs-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Holiday-leftoverscid=0ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNG48TyFx_JI_sqT3ziaKhJcZvynSQ(ie San Francisco hiking, San Francisco bparenting/b)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Kathleen Milazzo, Chicago Special Needs Examiner We all know how great holiday leftovers can be, however these leftovers do not consist of food not eaten b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-1051-Independent-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Cultures-of-Murdercid=0ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNHN9mdw8I4efsb5H78bm5IICoGx3A(ie San Francisco hiking, San Francisco bparenting/b)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Brian Trent, Independent Examiner While his mother screamed and begged for mercy, a 15-year-old Indian boy was beaten, his scalp shaved, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-faithhealingamplaw,0,3467888.storycid=1273000725ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNEQtyq-xk9lWklvm-4SSrU_QOghGQChild deaths test faith-healing exemption/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fChicago Tribune,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr23 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;We can#39;t legislate good bparenting/b, but at least we shouldn#39;t have laws allowing bad bparenting/b,quot; said Swan, who now heads the advocacy group Children#39;s b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4767579a6479.htmlcid=1273017541ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNGoj-Ra7KnaYB1MUyeQgVv6w0nCDQThousands to get lessons in bparenting/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fStuff.co.nz,nbsp;New Zealandnbsp;-/font nobr22 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1A Government scheme that sends bparents/b of violent or misbehaving children to bparenting/b courses is to expand to up to 15000 more families. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-746-New-York-Music-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Live-Earth-20008cid=1272528345ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNE0quUhJ2tlzpSkFKe6EycS6rZnHgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=zjLuTuh7oRUJimgurl=image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/phpYFp10BPM.jpg width=80 height=66 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-746-New-York-Music-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Live-Earth-20008cid=1272528345ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNE0quUhJ2tlzpSkFKe6EycS6rZnHg(ie San Francisco hiking, San Francisco bparenting/b)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Sherrill Fulghum, New York Music Examiner In 2007 former Vice-President Al Gore launched a campaign for awareness of Global Warming. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.greatdad.com/tertiary/358/3354/mark-wahlberg-shares-parenting-advice.htmlcid=0ei=BV8oSfXFCKiY6AOs2vXHBwusg=AFQjCNHSBb7FkN2EjZowVUYdlmxKXsF4LwMark Wahlberg shares bparenting/b advice/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fGreat Dad,nbsp;Californianbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Fatherhood can be a wild ride, whether you are an average dad or a high-profile star who is balancing bparenting/b skills with the pressures of the celebrity b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

parenting - Google News