From an early age, children show a desire to help their parents with housework . This demonstration and the enthusiasm they show in wanting to know and live their own existence.
The task of a good parent is to make them autonomous and able to face every decision that life throws at them. So, getting them used to doing housework and creating healthy habits from an early age will also help them in everyday problems by making their character stronger .
A child, whether male or female, from 2 years of age and able to carry out independently, if correctly addressed, small and large daily gestures even in house cleaning. Tidying up the bedroom, washing the dishes, are tasks that can become important and fun moments to live with the whole family without underestimating the educational purpose .
Let ‘s find out 8 things that children can and should do to grow well:
1) Wash and dress yourself
To make children grow better, they must be made independent from an early age. From about 2 years of age a child acquires the necessary skills to move actively and individually in the environment that surrounds him. This will help him develop the desire to have new experiences independently. The simple gestures of dressing alone or brushing your teeth will make him feel greater and more aware of his potential. Directing a child towards his independence helps to allow him to orient himself in future choices.
2) Set the table
The time of meals, which therefore requires setting the table, is a simple and effective way to start dealing with the objects of the house. Despite having a tendency to use mostly unbreakable crockery, a 3-year-old child, if accompanied correctly, will be able to set the table without the risk of breaking anything. Maria Montessori, since the early years of the twentieth century, focused attention on this topic arguing that, by teaching good table manners , children will learn to take care of themselves and the objects that surround them.
3) Tidy up the bedroom
As always, it is advisable to take care of the language with which requests are made to children. If the “tidying up the room” has the value of an order, it will certainly not be received very well; if, on the contrary, we use the expression “let’s make order”, the children will feel part of a team , and indispensable for achieving the goal. Furthermore, it is good that this action is repeated constantly, so that it gradually becomes a habit from an early age.
4) Wash the dishes
It must be made clear that there are no girls ‘or boys’ chores. All duties, including washing dishes, must not be gender-sensitive . A good educator shouldn’t be afraid to involve even the youngest ones in everyday tasks. Beware of detergents . Better to choose ecological products or natural do-it-yourself cleansers, because children have very delicate skin, and even the inhalations of the substances present in common detergents can be very harmful for the little ones.
5) Clean the furniture
Cleaning done with the children can be a fun time and also a time of sharing between parents and children. Therefore, to strengthen the relationship with them and to make them grow by developing autonomy and respect for what surrounds them, it is also important to do housework together. Simple gestures such as dusting the furniture and emptying the washing machine will be a good exercise in making them become more aware.
6) Bricolage e hobby
Do you have a passion for DIY or some hobby ? This will help you to convey to children the love and passion for small gestures. Observing a parent is already part of the teaching, because the child’s brain, by observing, learns independently and stores the different phases in the long-term memory .
7) Small commissions
Do you have a baker or a greengrocer near the house? So why not involve 5-6 year olds in small daily purchases? In this way, a simple commission alone will turn into both a practice for developing autonomy and a sense of responsibility, and a real mathematical exercise for counting the change! Following these little rules will make your children grow well.
8) Listening to music and reading
Music pervades many aspects of our daily lives. It has been shown in several studies that listening to it and / or learning to play an instrument helps our children develop better social skills and feel good. In addition to this important hobby, reading is also very important. Reading allows the child to develop his creativity, long-term memory and logic. Plus, taking the time to read together could be important to strengthen the parent-child relationship in a fun and healthy way for both of you.
