Although the summer months give kids the chance to take a break from school and have fun with their friends, that doesn’t mean that all structure and discipline should go out of the window. There’s a high chance that these free days mean that your kids will want more money to go to the arcade or head to the movies, but this extra money can’t just come out of thin air- although we wish it sometimes did. A good way to keep your kids on the straight and narrow while also letting them enjoy their summer is to get them involved in household chores.
Washing the car
Many parents often struggle to give their kids chores because they don’t want anything to get damaged. Yet, although your car is a high ticket item, there’s not much they could do with a bucket of water, a sponge, and some soap to ruin this car. Many kids actually enjoy giving the car a good wash, because it means they could also have a water fight with their siblings or the next-door neighbor at the same time. To make things even cooler for them, they could potentially get paid for it!
Emptying and loading the dishwasher
With your kids at home more during the summer, this means more cooking, more meals, and more dirty dishes. These can soon pile up, so why not give your kids this new responsibility. It doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to make sure that the dishes are stacked properly, and it takes even less time to put these dry, clean plates back where they came from. It won’t take your kids long, either. Getting them into a routine to do this every day could be a huge weight off your shoulders.
Sorting out the recycling
If you’re a household that loves to make sure that you’re recycling as much as possible, there’s a high chance that you have various different trash cans to deal with this different waste. Your kids might not think too much about their waste as they go about their daily business, but getting them to sort out the recycling is one of the best ways to get their minds whirring. By getting them to sort it out and then take it out to the garbage cans, they can even learn more about what can be recycled and what can’t.
Making the dinner
Although it can be scary to give your child a knife and ask them to make dinner, this kind of responsibility can really help to inspire them. Not only will you show them that you trust them with something as big as feeding the family, but it may even get them in the mood for cooking more often. Many children love to be in the kitchen, and they love to whip up something new and exciting, so asking them to make the dinner could be the start of something wonderful. You never know; they might offer to make the dinner every single night!
If you want to keep your kids busy over the summer months, why not give them chores to complete? This can not only help you out, but these chores can also shape them into more mature human beings that are ready to take on more responsibility.
