by Silva Payne

Created on: June 23, 2009

Most parents hope that by the time their children reach their teenage years, they have also reached a certain level of independence. In busy families, the shift from the mother doing all the housework and cooking to it being shared (not always equally) between all members of the family, means that most kids are now expected to do a few chores without being paid for it. But how do your children make the leap from being too young, to being able to look after themselves, and how can you encourage them?

Everyone has to start somewhere and no one is born with an innate knowledge of how to load and start a washing machine or how to clean things without missing spots. However, if you let children think that what they are learning is a chore and something they have to get right straight away, they will not develop confidence in their own abilities. The trick is to make it seem like a game at first, so that your kids can learn the basics of whatever it is you want them to achieve. If your child sees you washing down the shower screen or the car, the attraction of "playing" with water is going to be very strong. That is your opportunity to harness their enthusiasm and get them involved. Naturally at first they will be wearing more water than actually using it to good effect, but it is an opportunity for conversation between you about the task at hand, and by giving the child small bits to do by themselves, they will quickly get the idea.

Things that used to be taught in schools, such as cookery and needlework, have now all but disappeared from the curriculum. These are still basic skills for living, particularly the mastery of eating more than what comes out of a tin or packet. Getting children involved in preparing and cooking (as well as eating) food at an early age is an ideal way to also encourage them to explore different foods and to know what are the healthier options. If you are a parent that works all week and needs to make the evening meals without a fuss, try setting aside Saturday mornings for cooking with your kids. Let them help you make lunch, perhaps after also going to the grocery store or market and picking out all the ingredients. Children who help make their own food from a early age tend not to be fussy eaters as they get older.

Money is a subject that a lot of people avoid talking about with or in front of their children. This is particularly the case if the parents have difficulty with money themselves. But how can the cycle of inappropriate

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