Assign Daily Chores
Kids like having something to feel proud of, to feel accomplished and responsible. Chores do all of this and more.
The whole family benefits when each member pitches in, and children want to feel like part of the team, like they are a meaningful member of the home.
Psych Central reports on the research of Marty Rossman, MD, author of The Worry Solution:
“The best predictor of young adults’ success in their mid -20’s was that they participated in household tasks when they were three or four.”
As soon as your children can walk and talk, you can give the age appropriate chores. Making the chores fun, with immediate rewards like a sticker, make them more enjoyable for children, as Mommy Underground has previously reported.
Focus on Making Memories
Taking the children to the lake for a day to skip rocks and fish takes a lot more time and energy than buying them a new toy, but will add so much more to their life.
Kids like immediate gratification, so if given the option to choose a shiny new material object over future plans to have a new experience, they are going to go with option A.
But that’s why kids have parents, to see what is best for them in the long run, rather than giving in to impulsive desires.
There are far and few between items that an adult will remember as being special from their childhood, but there are plenty experiences that make their way into the memory hall of fame.
Spend some time each day giving your child a meaningful experience that they can build lasting positive attachment to, hopefully one day passing on such habits with their children.