Both my husband and I did chores when we were kids, but of course that was a different time. Our own children are still very young but we're thinking about getting them started. When children help, they gain self-respect and learn competence.
Kids feel good when they see how they can contribute to family life.
Even toddlers can carry clothes to the laundry, says Shaklee. Pre-schoolers can carry their dishes to the sink and put away their toys at the end of the day. Take advantage of the time spent working side by side to talk about the day's events, share laughs or even bring up serious matters. Whether you should pay your children for chores depends on your own family philosophy, Shaklee says. There are pros and cons to both approaches.