Chores and Children

Is this what you have your children doing?  It's one thing I always appreciated about Montessori - they build in chores and responsibility.   Of course, it takes follow-thru on the part of parents to help their children understand that a family is more than a mom and dad and a house is not a home without everyone who lives there pitching in.

Comments

Anonymous said…
It has always flabbergasted me as a teacher how few kids have normal chores at home. In the classroom I see young kids, first or second graders, who are perfectly capable of taking out recycling, wiping down desks, straightening bookshelves and sweeping the floor. But not at home, apparently. Parents, you are doing your kids and their future partners no favors by your low expectations.

sidneyd
2/2/14, 11:42 AM
Anonymous said…
Looks pretty good, but one question - I'm curious because this is at least the 2nd list I've seen that has quite young children emptying the dishwasher, and I think I'm missing something. In our house, my tall 11 year (the eldest) is the only one who of the kids that can reach to get dishes in or out of the top cabinets where we keep them (we do have a some plastic dishes we keep lower that the younger kids use for snacks). So, are they taking things out of the dishwasher & leaving it on the counter? Are they expected to climb on chairs while holding dishes so they can reach to put things away? Or are people storing their dishes in the bottom drawers & pots up top (I have seen that suggested, but the disadvantages of the 4 year being able to reach the dishes would seem to outweigh any advantages of the older kids getting to them).

Just curious
2/2/14, 11:16 PM
Anonymous said…
@ just curious,

My kids have been emptying the dishwasher for a few years. They used to do it together, one on the counter and the other one handing the dishes up. Now the one who can't reach, empties it on her own and uses a little folding stool or leaves the really high things on the counter for me to put away. Not optimal, but it's nice to have someone besides me empty the dishwasher once in a while. :)

- the maid
2/3/14, 6:53 AM
Anonymous said…
We moved the dishes to the lower cabinet so our small children could reach when its time to put them away or set the table.

Montessori Mom
2/3/14, 8:47 AM
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