How to Occupy Your Kids When Doing Housework? Have Them Help.
Quarantine life is wearing us out. I find the endless dishes and laundry to be one of my more grating tasks. When I finally carve out the time and muster up the will to unload the dishwasher, I hear the pitter-patter of little feet running from the other room. My daughter screams, “I want to help!”
“I Want to Help!”
When she was younger she would ask to help but couldn’t carry the plates successfully, or would just put all the clean spoons in her mouth. This help was sweet, but in the end it slowed down the already annoying chore.
Now, as a 2-year-old, she can efficiently empty the silverware and sort it with me. She can carry her plates and bowls to her cabinet. This help is actually, well, helpful. Not only for me but for her.
Meaningful Tasks
Practical life tasks are those tasks that teach children the skills and activities they need to complete daily work.
Dr. Maria Montessori added these types of activities to the classroom because she observed that children were able to increase concentration and build confidence when completing these real-life household tasks. Why? Because real-life tasks have real-life meaning.
Children are driven to complete meaningful tasks. As they look to contribute to their communities and perfect skills, practical life materials are perfect for meeting these needs.
“A child’s work is to create the man he will become. An adult works to perfect the environment, but a child works to perfect himself.”
— Dr. Maria Montessori
In our homes, practical life is all around us—it is the activities that we must complete to enable the home to function properly.
When the floor is dirty we vacuum, mop, sweep. When the clothes are soiled we wash them. When the dishes are dirty we clean them. For an adult these tasks are mundane and dreaded. For a child, they are opportunities to perfect himself.
Quarantine as Practice Time
I urge you to use this time together inside to find ways your child can be part of the community of your home.
Where in your chore list can you include your child?
Reframe your thinking. Your child may not be ready to complete the whole task, but find a part of the chore they may be able to complete with some initial guidance.
Some Ideas
Set the dinner table
Sweep the floor
Button/zip clothes
Pour water
Wipe a counter
Swiffer hardwood floors
Clean and dry fruits and veggies
Sort clean silverware
Match socks
Fold towels
Water houseplants
Take care of pets
Make It Work for You Both
My daughter turns laundry folding into a fashion show of her favorite shirts. But of course when we’re folding laundry together and I don’t always have the time to redirect her shirt swapping.
In those instances, I set her clothes aside, out of sight, and together we fold her towels, napkins, socks, and underwear. When we have finished, she takes the piles to their place in our home.
Contributing to the Household—Not Doing Chores
As social beings our children need to feel like they have a place in their communities. Our families are the first social groups they will belong to. We must allow our child to have a contributing place in our home.
Show your child the respect and trust you have for their work. Acknowledge the effort and thank them for helping the household.
“You worked so hard to fold the towels. Thank you for folding the towels and putting them where they belong. When we make a spill we have these towels to clean it up .”
Introducing Practical Life to Your Child
Follow these steps to introduce practical life activities into your child's daily routine:
Make a short mental list of activities for your child to help
Show your child how to complete the task
Walk them through each step the first few times
Thank them for the effort they made and for contributing to the family
We are working toward developing humans who are part of a group and valued for their contribution to this world. We must foster this place from the start. Help your child feel their value in your home. Who knows it may help you get your dishes put away.