Tag Archives: Children and Chores

Summer Vacation Checkpoint

parenting, Raising kids, teamwork, , ,

Train up a child…

 

Summer Vacation Checkpoint

 

It’s hard to believe that the summer vacation from school is more than half over for our children. There were so many plans!  Have they all been met?It is a good idea at this point in time to review the plans that were made at the beginning of summer and see what has been accomplished and what needs to be emphasized in the time remaining before the children go back to school.

Remember all those plans for the kids for summer vacation?  I’m guessing that there were plans to teach them how to be good homemakers. There were plans to give them experiences that would be good for them, and there were plans to have fun together as a family. There is some time left to try to make up for those things that have not yet been accomplished.

During the time left, children can try their hands in the kitchen following recipes and preparing food for the family.  The product doesn’t have to be perfect.  Praise the children for good effort.  Select easy recipes so they can feel a sense of accomplishment. There are many recipes suitable for children.  The Family Funmagazine is one source of not only recipes, but other fun activities as well.

It is almost always a good idea to choose chores simple enough to allow the children to feel successful.  Feeling successful motivates children to try again. When a child feels failure, that child avoids doing that task another time for fear of failing again. Do not jump in and do the chore for the children no matter how tempting it may be. Children learn from mistakes. Chores should include cleaning and making minor repairs.  How are they doing with helping in the yard?  Now is the time to make sure all has been covered that the children are able to accomplish. Once the children are back in school, there will be limited time to teach things necessary for children to grow up and have good homes of their own.

Have the children had good experiences this summer that include visiting historic monuments or national parks?  Have they taken part in new activities that expand their understanding of others? There is still time to go on trips as a family.  There are many interesting places in our area.  We live in a beautiful place in this country.  Helping children appreciate that beauty will go a long way in creating a good attitude.

Has the family simply had lots of fun together?  If not, make sure the summer does not end without doing so.  Whether it is playing games together, working together, or traveling together, fun times create special memories.  Good “belly laughs” are remembered for a long time.  Fun times create memories that act as glue for a family to stick together.

Don’t come to the end of the summer and have to say, “Where did the time go?”  Use the time now to work and play with children. They will be gone from home before you know it!

 

A Practical Project for Children

parenting, Raising kids, , ,

Train up a child…

 

A Practical Project for Children

During mid-summer, children begin to get bored with summer vacation.  Parents have started running out of ideas to keep children busy.  Here is a project that is practical and when completed, will give the children a feeling of accomplishment.  It is safe since there is no heat involved, and it teaches fundamentals of food preservation as well as measuring skills, fractions, and following directions.

Peaches are plentiful in July and August and an easy way to preserve them is by freezing.  Here are the directions:

Freezing Peaches

Wash hands thoroughly.

Wash peaches to be frozen in water in the sink with a drop or two of dish detergent.  Rinse well.

Mix a thin syrup in a large bowl or pan by using 4 cups of water and two cups of sugar.  Add ½ tsp. of fresh fruit preserver. (Can be purchased in the canning section at the supermarket.)  Stir well and place near the sink.  Do not cook.

Peel the peaches using a vegetable peeler and place the peaches in the syrup as they are peeled. (Older children can use a knife and slice the peaches.) Stir each time to make sure they are covered by the syrup to prevent them from darkening.

Using a slotted spoon, spoon the peaches into a pint or quart plastic freezer bag.  Then, using a small measuring cup, add syrup until it is about ½ inch or so from the top.  Zip the bag shut and immediately place in the freezer.

Leftover syrup can be used in gelatin desserts or ice tea for flavoring.

An additional project might be to use a bag of the frozen sliced peaches and place them in a food processor.  (Young children need parental supervision to use this appliance.)  If necessary, place the frozen bag in the microwave for a few seconds to soften the ice before processing but do not thaw completely. Just soften enough to break the large lump apart. Add cream and process.  It makes a delicious sorbet.  (The Italian sweet cream in the coffee creamer section at the grocery store works great for this.  Just add a little at a time to prevent spattering and process until the peaches are chopped up.)  For less calories, use skim milk. Remember there is already sugar in the syrup surrounding the peaches.  Frozen fruit from the supermarket can also be used.  If it is used, sugar will need to be added.

To extend the learning:

Have the children look up information about different kinds of peaches and where they are grown. They should know the difference between cling peaches that ripen later in the summer and those that are not clings.

Have the children investigate why peaches and apples turn dark when peeled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chores for Toddlers

parenting, Raising kids, teamwork, , , , , , ,

Train up a child…

 

Chores for Toddlers

 

Can toddlers really do chores?  Yes. Even at this early age, children should begin helping to keep the home as it should be. Will they do a perfect job? No. They will, however, begin the learning process of doing certain chores and gain the realization that they are important in contributing to the work that needs to be done.

All chores done by toddlers need to be supervised by adults.  Time spent teaching children at this level will pay big dividends in the years to come when the children are able to do many things without total supervision. Toddler chores are done alongside adults.  Keeping children busy helping out at this age prevents their doing things that cause more messes to be cleaned up.  Toddlers are usually eager to help and have that look of satisfaction on their faces when they are praised for their efforts.

 

Here are some things toddlers can do:

 

  • Pick up/put away toys. (It is helpful to make a game of this.Counting to ten slowly as toys are put away and trying to get them all put away by the end of the count makes a fun game of the task.)
  • Help unload the dishwasher. Toddlers can put away silver or plastic items that can be reached.They may need a step stool to reach the silverware drawer
  • Dust larger items with a feather duster as someone else dusts the smaller items
  • Use a small broom or Swiffer to help dust the floor
  • Pick up dirty clothes and put them in the hamper
  • Put clean clothes away in drawers that can be reached with a step stool, and carry clean clothes to rooms where they belong
  • Help scrub spots off the floor
  • Pick up things that are dropped as cooking is done
  • Stir some things that are being mixed in the kitchen
  • Dust baseboards
  • Take clothes out of the dryer and put them in the laundry basket
  • Carry dirty silverware from the table to the kitchen after eating
  • Throw paper plates and cups in the trash after eating
  • Go get items for mommy and daddy
  • Take items to others as directed

 

We tend to underestimate what children can do.  In days gone by, it was necessary for children to help in families in order to survive.  Children knew they were of value to the family as they performed necessary tasks. We have so many helpful tools now that we tend to allow children to have too much time on their hands.  Self esteem is achieved by actually being worth something.  Children find self worth through achievement of worthwhile activities.  We rob our children of this wonderful feeling when they are not allowed to participate in doing things that have value.

 

A Teen’s First Job

counseling, High School seniors, parenting, Raising kids, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Train up a child…

 

A Teen’s First Job

 

When age fourteen is reached, teens start thinking about working outside the home.  Some children start working out of the home at age ten or twelve doing lawn care or short-term similar jobs.  In my opinion, children should be kept in productive activities as early as possible depending on capabilities and safety.  At least by age fourteen children should start earning and budgeting money. Many places cannot hire someone until they are sixteen, so working at age fourteen and fifteen may require some creative thinking in figuring out ways to earn money.

A first job outside the home sets a pattern that may last a lifetime in the work habits a teen learns and that teen’s ability to take orders from supervisors. Teens also learn responsibility and the fact that many times they must work whether they feel like it or not.

Parents need to have a talk with their teens before that first job and make sure they understand the following:

  • A worker should arrive within a 15 minute time frame of the time they start work and should leave after time to get off work.
  • Workers must obey supervisors without question.
  • The worker is not the boss. The boss is the boss!
  • When instructions are not understood, ask for clarification instead of guessing and possibly doing something wrong.
  • Be loyal to the company or person for whom the work is being done.
  • Be pleasant. Do not complain.
  • Many people could have been chosen for the job and others can replace you.
  • Do not make promises you can’t or won’t keep.
  • When you make a mistake, apologize and move on. Don’t dwell on it.  Everyone makes mistakes.  If you are making a lot of mistakes, perhaps you should look for a job more suited to your abilities.
  • Make out a budget. Since there is no rent expense, a larger amount can be saved.  Ten percent should be given to charity.  Car expense should be included in a budget. Food expense should be figured closely as most teens tend to waste a lot of money on drinks and fast food.  Soft drinks have no nutritional value. Drinking water instead of soft drinks can save a lot of money.
  • If driving to work, proper care of the car is necessary.This includes oil changes as well as gas.
  • Sometimes workers lose jobs for reasons other than performance.Many businesses hire employees temporarily to avoid paying benefits.

 

Teens have a great amount of energy and vitality to offer to a job.  They can do much that older people can’t do and are a valuable resource if in the right position.  My husband and I have always told our children, “If you make money for your company, you will have a job.  If you lose money for your company, you will lose your job.”  Businesses exist for the purpose of making money.  They don’t exist for individuals.  That is the reality of life.  Unfortunately, often politics enter into whether a person has a job as well.  Sometimes friends get chosen for positions even if another deserves it.  Teens must learn that life is not fair, but they, themselves, need to be fair whether or not others are fair to them.  Much of this can be learned on a teen’s first job.

Teach Children to Do Tasks Well

parenting, Raising kids, , , ,

Train up a child…

 

Teach Children to do Tasks Well

 

During the age span of nine to fourteen years of age, children can and should learn to do chores around the house well.  Younger children cannot be expected to do a great job with chores, but they can learn to do the best they can for their ability.  By the time a child reaches the age of nine, that child needs to start refining performance and being more accurate and precise with his/her chores.

The age of nine to fourteen is possibly the last opportunity parents have to really teach a good amount of skill in homemaking. Most children start thinking about working outside the home at age fourteen.  By this time, they are dreaming of getting a driver’s license and that first car. They start looking for a job to help pay for their dream.  It is for this reason that parents should take advantage of the short time they have left with children at home to teach as much as they possibly can.

We often underestimate children.  We watch them learn how to do many things on the computer or cell phone, but seem to think they are not able to use the washer and dryer, microwave, kitchen stove, or other home appliances.  They need to learn the proper use of each and every one of common home appliances. They can prepare meals, clean, and do yard work.

Children begin learning fractions in school at around fourth grade.  One of the best ways to use these fractions is to prepare recipes.  Reading skills are also enhanced as children read and follow directions in recipes.  Checking nutrition facts on labels of foods and figuring calories contributes greatly to a child’s math skills.  Measuring accurately at this age helps a child understand quantities to be able to estimate in some recipes later as the child grows older.  When the family sits down at the table to a meal prepared by a child, the whole family feels a sense of pride and the child, especially, feels a boost in self-esteem.

Most cleaning chores can be done by the age of nine.  Bathrooms can be cleaned properly.  Kitchen cabinets can be cleaned and organized, floors swept and mopped, and furniture dusted. There is always the temptation to use spray bottles as water guns, but this temptation can be easily squelched if the child has to pay for the wasted agent from his own money.  Children at this age can clean the refrigerator and freezer. They can make shopping lists and assist with finding the best bargains when buying groceries.

Doing yard work offers valuable lessons in science.  Children learn about plants.  They can also learn about machines and how they work.  Another benefit of yard work is the conditioning of the body to heat and cold.  Many would say that our children are getting soft and do not like to do things in the heat. There is a limit, of course, to a child being in the heat or cold, but sometimes we forget that for centuries and centuries there was no air conditioning and somehow people managed to survive.

Common sense should prevail in our expectations of children in doing chores, but the value of such training cannot be disputed.  We must never forget that childhood is a foundation for adulthood, and we need to lay that foundation well.

Children Need Chores

parenting, Raising kids, teamwork, , , , ,

Train up a child…

 

Children Need Chores

 

It is hard to overemphasize the importance of children having chores around the house.  By participating in fulfilling the needs of the family, children form a bond with the family unit and gain a feeling of worth. We often sell children short and lower our expectations when we really need to tap into their large supply of energy and help them know they are contributing in a positive way to meet needs around them.

One reason parents may not require children to do chores is that they may feel uncertain as to what the children are able to do.  Following are some general ideas of chores that children ages 6-8 may be able to do.

  • Assist in meal preparation (mash potatoes, simple cutting with supervision, mixing salad, find ingredients, wash produce, read recipes)
  • Wipe bathroom sinks, counters, toilets (this is a good time to teach the proper use of cleaning agents and emphasize the harm that can be caused by improper use)
  • Sweep
  • Vacuum
  • Fold, hang up and put away laundry
  • Collect garbage
  • Clean the microwave
  • Wipe out self-cleaning ovens after they have been cleaned
  • Run errands
  • Rake leaves
  • Set the table
  • Clear the table and wash items too large for dishwasher
  • Wash, dry dishes and put away
  • Get the mail
  • Water plants indoors and outdoors
  • Pick up and put away things

It is a good idea to have a daily schedule for children.  One idea that worked at our house was to require our children to do their chores in the morning, have lunch, have a quiet time, and then allow the children free time in the afternoon to play with friends or do other activities.  Children who have no schedule feel insecure and “at loose ends”, uncertain as to how to spend their time.

 

Children who are not kept busy will find ways to busy themselves.  Children are not capable of always making the right decisions for themselves, and they will often get in trouble when left to do so. It is best to keep children busy with positive activities; then, they won’t have time to get in trouble.

Winding Down the School Year

counseling, parenting, Raising kids, , , , ,

Train up a child…

 

Winding Down the School Year

 

Toward the end of the school year, various attitudes surface among children.  Some children begin to slack off—much like the “senioritis” that some seniors experience.  Some children work harder to make sure they pass the final exams.  Other children seem to develop a touch of “spring fever” and their minds seem to be on the summer instead of the present time.

Parents begin to look forward to the summer.  They, too, have various attitudes.  Some parents begin to dread having the children at home all summer. Other parents begin worrying about babysitters or places to send the children to take up part of the time.  Wise parents will plan ahead to make sure that the summer is well spent for the child’s growth socially, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Here are some general ideas to help parents plan:

Social Growth Activities:

Arrange a family get-together with relatives at least once during the summer.

Arrange a get-together with another family or two during the summer.

Enroll children in activities in the community.

Teens should be encouraged to get a job appropriate to their ability.

Physical Growth Activities:

Allow the children to sign up for a ball team, swimming team, or another group that uses physical activity.

Play with the children.

Do lake activities such as water skiing or swimming.

Mental Activities:

Make sure the children visit the local library a few times.

Encourage the children to have a one-hour quiet time each day to read or write.

Help the children make out a budget to use any money they may earn doing chores or at a job.

Take a trip out of the area. Stop at historical markers along the way.  Have maps available, or let them use electronic devices, for children to track progress on the trip.

 

Spiritual Activities:

Enroll the children in a summer church camp

Be sure to take children to church each Sunday and allow them to participate in church activities.

Take advantage of Vacation Bible School conducted by many churches,

No child likes to think that every minute has been planned for him/her.  Now is the time to sit down with the children and let them help do the planning.  Any plans should include chores to help around the house and a certain amount of routine.

It has been said that some people plan what they want to happen, others watch what happens, and still others wonder what happened.  Good parents should plan what happens and not find themselves at the end of the summer wondering what happened.

 

Poetry Holds Value for Children

counseling, High School seniors, parenting, Raising kids, Teaching Children to be Truthful, , , , , , ,

Train up a child…

 

Poetry holds Value for Children

 

Sometimes children can take a lesson to heart a little easier when it is in the form of poetry. Poetry also helps children with spelling and reading.  There are many poems available that teach moral lessons as well as helping to improve reading and spelling.

One poet who included moral truths in his writing was Edgar Guest.

His poem, “Myself”, is especially appropriate for upper elementary through high school students.

 

Myself

By Edgar A. Guest

 

I have to live with myself and so
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able as days go by,
always to look myself straight in the eye;
I don’t want to stand with the setting sun
and hate myself for the things I have done.
I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf
a lot of secrets about myself
and fool myself as I come and go
into thinking no one else will ever know
the kind of person I really am,
I don’t want to dress up myself in sham.
I want to go out with my head erect
I want to deserve all men’s respect;
but here in the struggle for fame and wealth
I want to be able to like myself.
I don’t want to look at myself and know that
I am bluster and bluff and empty show.
I never can hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see;
I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself and so,
whatever happens I want to be
self respecting and conscience free.

 

This poem is very plain and simple to understand and takes little discussion to drive home the point that children should be very careful of their choices. There may be some vocabulary that needs to be explained such as the word, “sham”.

 

More of Guest’s poems can be found on the Internet.  You can simply research them by his name.

 

Children Need to Learn Accuracy

counseling, parenting, Raising kids, , , , , ,

Train up a child…

 

Children need to learn Accuracy

 

Have you noticed the frequency of mistakes made in business transactions?  Several folks have mentioned lately how frustrating it is to talk to persons on the phone who represent businesses. It is difficult to get clear answers to questions. Could this be happening because those people were not taught to be accurate when they were children?

If children are not taught to be accurate with their work, they grow up thinking that it is adequate to do just enough to get by.  Not only should they be taught to be accurate with work, but they also need to learn to be accurate in what they say.  Perhaps we adults are just as guilty as the children in this area. That is carrying over as an example to the ones who learn more by example than any other way.

Quite often, in our society, children are rewarded for inferior work.  With good intentions, adults often want everyone to win so no one will feel badly.  This is an unrealistic view of life.  If children think they will be rewarded whether or not they do excellent work, why would they want to strive for perfection?  There was a time in school when children were required to do work over and over until they got it right.  Now, sometimes that is still true, but often it is not.  Many children fill in blanks on papers that have been copied and do not have to write complete sentences.  If a misspelled word is close enough to the correct answer, the child is allowed to get by with it without learning to spell the word.  Many of my GED students made a capital C or S all through a paper.  When I corrected them, they responded, “That’s the way I always make my “C” (or “S”). It is obvious they were allowed to do this in school.  My response is, “You are making it wrong”.

Many times it is difficult to get a child to explain something orally. Quite often a child will say, “You know”, or “Whatever”.  They talk in half sentences expecting the listener to understand the meaning behind the few words spoken.  We shouldn’t let children get by with this.  The children should learn to say what they mean and mean what they say. The way a child talks affects the way that child writes.  Speaking and writing accurately requires clear thinking.  Being a responsible adult also requires clear thinking.

It is so easy for adults to fall into a pattern of getting down to a child’s level instead of bringing a child up to the adult level.  When this happens, we all end up thinking and acting like children.  We need to be trying to help our children become responsible adults who can express themselves accurately and do accurate written work.  Our culture of “If it feels good, do it” needs to go away and a new culture of “Do it right” needs to come to our society.

.

 

Children Need Purpose

counseling, parenting, Raising kids, , , , , , , ,

Train up a child…

 

Children Need Purpose

 

Many comments made by children show that they seem to have no purpose in their actions. Such comments as “What’s the use?” or “What difference does it make?” or “Who cares?” are indications that a child sees no real meaning in actions that may be expected of him or her.

The lack of real meaning leads to a lack of hope for a child. This in turn leads to such drastic actions that teenagers take with guns, suicide, or deliberate car accidents. Many of our young people seem to be drifting with no real purpose in their lives.

Many efforts are made by adults to entertain children thinking that if a child gets what it wants, that child will in turn produce according to the parents’ wishes. Without realizing it, parents who do this are actually bribing a child and holding the child hostage to perform as the parent wishes. This is not good. No amount of gifts, material things, or wishes granted can give a child purpose in life.

What really does work for a child is the realization that God created each of us with an individual plan for our life. When a child realizes that there is a unique plan for him/her, the child automatically feels a sense of value and curiosity to identify that plan. The child can then begin to understand that preparation to carry out that plan involves education, health, and wisdom. Goals can then be set to gain basic education, take care of health, and use wisdom in applying the education obtained.

Sadly, many young people look for a sense of achievement in video games, fun times, or various other ways. The things they try give only short-lived satisfaction and leave the child with a hollow feeling inside. That lonely, hollow feeling leads the child to continue searching for more and more thrills or activities to find meaning or purpose to their efforts. Quite often, the young person will simply give up, thinking all is hopeless or useless. The negative actions chosen then lead to failure in the eyes of self and others which in turn lead to more hopelessness and lack of purpose. The young person then begins spiraling downhill getting into deeper and deeper trouble.

What is the remedy for the hopeless child who has lack of purpose? Of course, it is to help that child find a purpose in life. This can be done by taking children to church and teaching the Bible at home. There is no substitute for parental prayer with a child. The prayers should include a request for God to reveal His plan for the child’s life. Also, the child needs to be helped in realizing his/her talents and abilities by the reinforcement of positive achievements. Parents and teachers need to point out, whenever possible, the reasons for learning certain things and for acting certain ways.

None of us likes to be expected to blindly follow rules without knowing the reasons for those rules. Children are best motivated when they can understand the purpose in doing what is expected of them, as well as the purpose of existence itself.