Children need the skills to be able to succeed on their own before they leave the nest. This means that they must be able to run your household without you. Think for a moment about what your child(ren) know and don't know about successfully running a household. Can each child cook and clean? Maintain and repair the house? What about plan a budget or even a grocery list? Many parents put so much thought and planning into their children's education, yet the little every day details of life are often overlooked as important skills. Of course, certain lessons would be lost on a younger child, but even very young children can be involved in managing their home. And yes, when children get involved, they take the perspective of "their home". You'll be amazed by how much pride they'll take in your home when it becomes theirs.
To keep the post from becoming overwhelming, I've decided to break it into segments and focus on one area of the household at a time. Let's start with the basics; cooking and cleaning. All children can learn to cook and clean. Just remember that they are learning. Accidents will happen, and you may have to go back and do it "the right way" yourself, but that is part of the learning process. Remember, patience is a virtue.
From a young age, my children have been involved in cooking, whether it's a simple task like stirring batter, or a more complicated one like baking a cake from scratch. (Yes, my teenage sons can bake a cake from scratch.) The key is to get them involved and let them actually do something. Ask them to measure, pour, or stir. Have them gather all the ingredients for a recipe. Just get them involved. Let them choose a favorite meal or snack and prepare it on their own. The sense of pride and accomplishment will be easy to see on their faces. Search the internet, or get kid-friendly cookbooks and find recipes they are excited about. Talk about nutrition and balanced meals, then let them plan an entire meal for the family, even if they can't make it by themselves.
Cleaning their room is a good way to help teach responsibility. However, when they move out on their own they will need to do more than just pick up after themselves. Keeping a house truly clean requires a lot more effort. Give children the opportunity to be involved in cleaning. Have them sweep and mop the floors, scrub the top of the stove after a messy meal, clean the windows, or scour the bathroom. Tell them how often each job should be done. It will take some repeated instruction, and a lot of practice, but they will be pros by the time they move out. Teach them how to sort laundry and which settings to use on the washer and dryer. When my children were preschoolers, I had three laundry baskets; a pink one, a white one, and a blue one. (I happened to have a pink one, it would have been better if it had been red.) As soon as the boys were old enough to know their colors, they were responsible for sorting their own laundry. They simply had to put each piece of clothing in the hamper that best matched the color.
Teaching your children how to manage their home isn't a 30 minute conversation you sit down with them and have before they move out, it is a life-long lesson learned by example and experience. Give your children all the tools they need to be successful in all areas of their lives. What tips do you have for preparing children for success?
Karissa
To keep the post from becoming overwhelming, I've decided to break it into segments and focus on one area of the household at a time. Let's start with the basics; cooking and cleaning. All children can learn to cook and clean. Just remember that they are learning. Accidents will happen, and you may have to go back and do it "the right way" yourself, but that is part of the learning process. Remember, patience is a virtue.
From a young age, my children have been involved in cooking, whether it's a simple task like stirring batter, or a more complicated one like baking a cake from scratch. (Yes, my teenage sons can bake a cake from scratch.) The key is to get them involved and let them actually do something. Ask them to measure, pour, or stir. Have them gather all the ingredients for a recipe. Just get them involved. Let them choose a favorite meal or snack and prepare it on their own. The sense of pride and accomplishment will be easy to see on their faces. Search the internet, or get kid-friendly cookbooks and find recipes they are excited about. Talk about nutrition and balanced meals, then let them plan an entire meal for the family, even if they can't make it by themselves.
Cleaning their room is a good way to help teach responsibility. However, when they move out on their own they will need to do more than just pick up after themselves. Keeping a house truly clean requires a lot more effort. Give children the opportunity to be involved in cleaning. Have them sweep and mop the floors, scrub the top of the stove after a messy meal, clean the windows, or scour the bathroom. Tell them how often each job should be done. It will take some repeated instruction, and a lot of practice, but they will be pros by the time they move out. Teach them how to sort laundry and which settings to use on the washer and dryer. When my children were preschoolers, I had three laundry baskets; a pink one, a white one, and a blue one. (I happened to have a pink one, it would have been better if it had been red.) As soon as the boys were old enough to know their colors, they were responsible for sorting their own laundry. They simply had to put each piece of clothing in the hamper that best matched the color.
Teaching your children how to manage their home isn't a 30 minute conversation you sit down with them and have before they move out, it is a life-long lesson learned by example and experience. Give your children all the tools they need to be successful in all areas of their lives. What tips do you have for preparing children for success?
Karissa
