Yes

by Joelle Synclair

Created on: September 30, 2008

As a mom to four children I can say with confidence that toddlers love to help out. Toddlers want to be like mommy and daddy. The praise and accomplishment of a job well done is not lost on a toddler. My kids loved helping mommy around the house or helping daddy with the yard work. What seemed to inspire a sense of self-esteem the most in my kids was completing a job all on their own.

I think the main thing to consider when assigning chores to a toddler is knowing that you are not expecting perfection. You need to remember that you are making a person and not cleaning a house. My three year old loves to wash dishes and actually does a wonderful job on her plastic cup that she washes about twenty times. When finished washing her cup and possibly a plastic bowl or two she and the floor are soaking wet. This is par for the course and need not punishment or correction. My toddler also loves feeding the dog and getting him water. This is chore I cringe for her to have every Wednesday but she relishes it. By the time she is done there is dog food all over the dog mat and water on the floor. I smile and praise her for her efforts. One thing I have noticed is that the more I praise her the more she wants to do. During those times that I gently correct her or show her the proper steps she responds wonderfully. For instance, she now swiffers only the floor and not the walls and tabletops. However, if a spot is missed I dare not tell her as I cannot forget I am doing this for her and not for the sake of the house or to save myself the trouble of performing the chore.

Another consideration when assigning a chore is attention span. A toddler may be excited about washing dishes with you on Mondays but soon tires after one cup. That is perfectly ok. You may only have half your floor swept and one end table dusted but your toddler is happy and feels good about herself. You are slowly building a child used to responsibilities so no great expectations at this stage.

Finally assigning proper chores is essential. I have kids old enough for real chores and too young for any real expectations. I call my little ones "helpers in training". My three year old has a chore chart with a picture of what she is assigned to do. She is only assigned chores she enjoys doing and ones that are harmless to her, me, her siblings, the dog, the house, the neighbors...you get the idea. For example on her chore chart she is to obey mommy (nice one, huh?), feed the dog, water the dog, help mommy wash dishes on Wednesdays, help mommy make dinner on Mondays, and sweeping and dusting on Fridays. Now that may seem like I have a little Cinderella but please note she is not expected to be perfect or perform more than a few minutes. Also note she will ask to do all of these chores as often as she can. Most importantly she can successfully perform all of the chores without frustration so only praise is given. She can wash the cleanest plastic cups in town, fit enough dog food in a bowl for a week, crack the eggs to music, and sweep and dust all the grim right under the couch.

With the proper attitude from mom a toddler is quite handy and cute with a mop. Her helping may not always be helpful but keeping in mind we are building little people it is worth all the extra water on the floor or a few egg shells in the pancakes. Chores benefit the child by developing a sense of self-esteem and responsibility. Sure they all become that 10 year old that hates doing dishes but that 10 year old knows the value in getting a job done. As long as your toddler is happy and being praised doing chores can be rewarding for both of you. Warning: if you are a perfectionist and cringe at the thought of learning what a clean mess is than don't assign chores to your toddler. At such a young age all she does outside of sheer disobedience should be rewarded and praised even if just for the effort.

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