It is difficult to wait for help around the house from modern children, but it is possible. The main thing is to find an approach. You need to understand that if a carrot and stick act on a neighbor’s child, then such methods of influence may not work on yours. Here, more than ever, an individual approach and a mother’s flair are important. Mother and child psychologist Anastasia Kusmartseva told healthy-food-near-me.com how to stimulate interest in work.
When is it worth starting labor education of a child? And is it necessary to instill a love of work? Why does all children have a desire to be useful to their relatives, especially in early childhood, and then it disappears altogether? Remember, to the question “Who will vacuum?” the kid is the first to volunteer to help.
He gladly washes the dishes in the foot basin, wipes them off the table with a doormat, or pulls barely rooted cucumbers with the grass in the garden. And at the same time he feels very happy: his work is very important, he is an adult and benefits mom and dad. At least he thinks so.
What does an adult do in response to such a child’s initiative? Right. He proves to him in every possible way that he is mistaken in his need and usefulness. And after a few years he asks in surprise: “How did you become such a lazy person?”
Education through work is one of the most important tasks in a family. It is the parents who are responsible for instilling this habit. It all starts small: clean up the dishes, make the bed in the morning, put toys in their places and books on the shelves. But you rarely find a family where the child is taught to such rules day in and day out, usually it happens according to the mood of the parents. And this is the very first mistake of adults.
The first thing I would like to advise parents is to take an honest look at themselves and family members from the outside. How hardworking are you? How do you respond to requests for help from loved ones and the child as well? Attempts to correct our children without correcting their behavior are practically nil. If you don’t have a problem here, think about how you usually respond to the child’s natural desire to help. Are you feeding it? Or is your first reaction – to brush it off, they say, you still have to redo it?
The first thing to start with is to let the child do the job he can.
Next, we figure out, but does your child know why clean the house, work in the garden, or the vegetable garden at all?
I often come across the fact that adults forget one important truth “what is obvious and understandable to an adult may be completely incomprehensible to a child.” What is this cleaning for at all? Where does purity come from? And what effort is it worth? Even the fact that dinner itself does not cook itself. Sit down and talk to your child, and what he even knows about such things. Explain and show in a relaxed atmosphere.
Feel free to ask your child for help. This is especially true for mothers who are used to taking everything into their own hands. Distribute family responsibilities from an early age. For example, a 4-year-old baby can be entrusted to clear the dishes from the table and feed the cat, and an older child can be entrusted with a more important task. Delegate your responsibilities: “Son, you are already so big that I can entrust you with this housework.”
Start at an early age, when the desire to help the children is still great, and talk about your expectations without blaming: “I am so tired, I would so much like someone to help me.” Share your desires, praise and encourage initiative more often. The child needs to be “nourished” emotionally.
It still works well with children of preschool and primary school age competition method… Just remember that your task is not to win, but to involve the child in cleaning. It is also important not to overuse this method.
Tell your children fairy tales on the topic of child labor and assistance to adults. Such stories can be found on the Internet or come up with your own.
Play on a child’s curiosity and keep an observation diary. This method relates directly to working in the garden. First, tell, or better show a video or photo, how trees grow, how seeds germinate. Then invite your child to keep an observation diary. Let him choose which plant he will observe, perhaps there will even be several of them. And he constantly writes down his observations: today the seed has sprouted, and today the first leaf has appeared. Or observations can be by seasons. Play as a young naturalist.
We cultivate responsibility and play on property – my “vegetable garden”. Give your child your own bed, for which only he will be responsible. Even if it will be a garden with one plant or a tree that he will plant himself. Make it a small official event, perhaps even with a tea party.
DIY holiday – Invite your child to have a fun play event at home with friends. But only on one condition: he himself will prepare the room for the arrival of guests, and then clean it. You can also experiment with treats.
Give your child the opportunity to see, touch, try everything. Do together. And remember, they learn from our example.