9 Reasons Why Chores are Important for Your Kids

Being a mom comes with a bond that develops between you and your kids. Because you love them, you want them to be happy.

A parenting dilemma that often comes up of this is whether to assign jobs around the house to your kids.  The good news is there are several reasons why kids having chores is actually a good thing.

Most child and family experts believe that requiring your children to do chores is beneficial to both you and your kids, as long as tasks are age-appropriate and not too physically challenging.

If your little one is begging you to let them help, let them!  The sooner you start having your kids help around the house the better.  It is hard to get older kids to help with chores if they are not used to helping around the house.

How are chores beneficial to your kids?  Let me give you 9 reasons why chores are important for your kids.

Top 9 Benefits of Why Chores are Important for Your Kids

Facilitate physical development

Having chores from a young age helps to develop gross and fine motor skills and coordination.

For instance, loading the washer and dryer with clothes helps with strength and proprioception.  And washing the dishes helps with bilateral coordination.

Definitely take into account your child’s age, abilities, and strength when assigning chores.  Younger kids find doing chores fun and feel about themselves that they were able to help.  So definitely play on your little one being a big helper.

Provide learning experiences

Kids learn something when they perform household tasks. Whether it’s why the chore needs to be done or how it’s carried out, knowledge will be gained and retained.

Use this as an opportunity to provide a learning experience.

Help kids feel they belong

Chores help kids feel like an important part of the family.

It’s especially helpful when you and your other family members take notice and positively comment when children complete their tasks.  Don’t forget to mention that your little one did a good job wiping the counters when they are done.

Keep kids busy and out of trouble

There’s some truth to the idea that when kids are doing a household task, you know they’re engaged in a positive behavior that could benefit them in the future.

They are less likely to start going through your make up bag and trying things on because they’re trying to make sure that they do their task well.

Kids contribute to the home

Doing chores provides kids with ways to contribute to the household.

As children feel like they’re contributing in some way, they begin to develop and build pride.

“I can dust the tables all by myself” is a powerful message for a 5-year-old.

Build self-esteem

Consistently giving chores to kids builds their sense of their own abilities. After all, think of all the things they’ve learned how to do over the years.

From cleaning up after themselves to making their beds and sweeping the floors, chores assigned by parents greatly contribute to children’s positive self-esteem.

Demonstrate the importance of taking care of personal items and one’s home.

The best way to show a child how important it is to take care of his own property and the house is to assign him chores. This way, your child observes and experiences how life is lived and discovers first-hand the necessities of doing certain chores.

Teach kids responsibility

When a child is solely responsible for a job getting done in the home, he learns to take responsibility for that task.

As they mature, children learn that people in the home depend on them to complete their chores properly and in a timely fashion.

Children discover the value of cooperation

When large chores, like raking leaves, are shared by the whole family, kids see how integral it is to cooperate with one another.

For example, two people can rake the leaves and then help each other with bagging them. Then, a third family member can move the bags to the curb.

Taking part in these “live-action teaching moments” impresses on your kids the value of working cheerfully with one another. Also, it instills the idea that in many instances, cooperation is vital to getting the job done.

Introduce children to the world of work

Assigning chores in your home will be your children’s first introduction to working.

One of the most important things you can do for your kids is to teach them about what it’s like to have a job and have people counting on them to carry it through. Plus, children will learn how to enjoy and look forward to working.

Giving chores to your kids will teach them crucial lessons about life, cooperation, and work.

Commit today to consistently assign chores to your children and watch as they reap the benefits now and later.

This post is a part of the series 31 Days of Parenting Tips for Busy Moms With Young Kids.  Each day throughout the series I am discussing a different topic regarding parenting young kids. I’d love for you to follow along and share this series with moms who may need some support or just to hear that they aren’t alone in their journey of raising young kids.

Find all of the posts in one place on the series homepage: 31 Days of Parenting Tips for Busy Moms With Young Kids