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Did you know that mothers expand their work by multiplication and not just addition?
Proverbs has a lot to say about the training of children. In Proverbs 22:6 we read,
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
This is not a formula or a guarantee for flawless children, rather it is a principal that children keep good habits they learn when they are young. Every mother’s goal should be to train her children to replace her—and that starts when the children are young. Start with training your children to help you at home.
A mother’s effectiveness depends on multiplying her efforts around the house.
Recently, I’ve had conversations with new moms who are struggling to get their kids to work around the house. Simple things like chores become battles for control, and Mom’s frustration shows at the end of the day when she decides to do the chore herself. Hey, I get it! Sometimes it’s easier to clean the kitchen by myself than to train a child to do it while they grumble and complain, or even worse – grumble and complain while doing the chore wrong and then having to be told to do it again. That’s happened just a few times around my house. 😉
It does take a lot of effort on your part, but there is value in training your children to work. There is value in teaching your children how to do the things around the house. They help now and can do things on their own when they leave your house.
One time, I heard someone say that a mom who has her children working around the house is a lazy mom. I would like to suggest that nothing could be further from the truth! That person had clearly never trained a child to work around the house because it is so much easier to do it yourself, right? Most of you who have tried to teach children to work know exactly what I’m talking about!
Don’t be afraid be afraid to teach your children to work.
Today, sit down with your children and let them know exactly what is expected of them. Children who know what is expected of them have an easier time accomplishing things that are needed to be accomplished, and they feel secure in those expectations. It’s hard to work for someone when you don’t know what is expected of you!
A wise mom multiplies her efforts through training and teaching her children. Communicate with your children and train them up, Busy Mom. That’s your job.
I love this! I actually started when my kids were even smaller. I’ve been blessed with two helpers. They are always begging tonhelp. So I find little things for them to do like load clothes into yhe washer and put the unbreakable dishes away. Its important for them to fel the satisfaction of helping out. 🙂
I totally agree to children working, do you have daily chores or do you only have them working on Saturdays. I don’t know why but it seems like its so hard to work in chores during the week.
I love this! I actually started when my kids were even smaller. I’ve been blessed with two helpers. They are always begging to help. So I find little things for them to do like load clothes into the washer and put the unbreakable dishes away. Its important for them to feel the satisfaction of helping out.
There are so, so, so many life lessons learned when children are trained to work around the house. I never realized it when my Mom had the weekend chore list but she was training me for what was to come as a teenager and an adult. Working, listening, following directions, controlling my tongue while doing something I really didn’t want to do, stopping what I’m doing to help others, and so many other lessons…I encounter these life lessons daily. I’m so thankful for a Mom that taught me early, through simple chores around the house. Now, it’s my turn to raise young men that will be self sufficient when out on their own and helpful husbands when they are blessed with families. Thanks for the encouragement to persist!
It is a must to teach your children to help. I tell them it not my house its our house. They feel a sense of responsiblity when they have things to do. It makes for better adults later.
I agree. We cannot expect our children to live our values if we have not shared them with our children. If you want children who feel as part of the family, expect them to be a part of everything. We make it a game and see who can get their chores done well and quickest. I started this when they were toddlers by giving them wipies for the windows and having them help dust, then sweeping when they got a bit bigger. These chores were not always done to the highest standards, but it gave them responsibility for the family home. Thanks for sharing this today!
I’m a mom with older children – my oldest is 24 and my youngest is 12. This is something that really is hard but pays off in the long run. I have cleaned offices and a church with my children and there is no one I would trust more to work with me. My oldest two are in the work force now and are trusted employees because of the time spent training them while they were young!
Thank you for sharing your post. My husband and I had a conversation last night as I was fully drained from cleaning ALL the time and with homeschool and the normal running around for extra curricular activities. He told me to let the kids do the cleaning but I told him I would feel like a lazy mom and he said to teach them and then I woke up and here is your post first thing I saw when I opened FB. So I will be teaching home economics ~house work~ starting this weekend!!!
I have my boys feed the cat and dog and so other chores too – my 7-year-old loves to run the shop vac to “sweep” the kitchen and dining room floors. I recently had back surgery and cannot bend, lift, or twist so he and my 4-year-old have been doing a lot like picking out their clothes the night before to make getting ready in the morning easier – sometimes they even pack their own lunches and they have been known to start a shower and take one on their own – we have taught them if they don’t like being “told” what to do to think ahead and what we are going to ask them and do it before we ask. Saves a lot of little arguments. The 4-year-old is the shoe monitor too and he makes sure we all put our shoes in the shoe bin.
I think it is so important to get children working early, however I am having an horrible time getting it done!!! I have four old enough for chores, 7, 5,5 and 4, but whew! I get so tired just trying to encourage them! I know I can’t do it all, so if I don’t get help, it doesn’t get done!!
My 18 month old loves to try to help me with household chores. She will gather one piece of clothing at a time and throw it down the stairs, (usually it is the clean laundry that was just folded) just like she sees mama doing. She will try to start the dishwasher, she will put trash and other items in the trash can (I have to watch my trash carefully to make sure the remote for the tv is not in there). She watches and enjoys being able to help and do the things that look important. I encourage this behavior now while she thinks it is fun. Yes, it does make more work for me, but worth it for a life’s lesson.
Great perspective, Julia 🙂 That right!
I have been training my child since he was 5 he started out dusting cleaning the windows eventually went to vacuuming and now at 10 years old he does his own laundry he irons his own clothes he helps clean the house and he cooks. He does fuss from time to time but he knows it needs to be done and as I have explained to him I am training him for life…
Love it! 😀 Keep up the good work Stacey!