Children doing chores brings up a lot of feelings for parents. Some families expect children to do chores while other families do not wish to impose them on their kids. There are reasons parents have come to their decision and they often feel strongly about this topic, whatever they have decided.
In Montessori classrooms and homes, chores are an expectation. Maria Montessori saw benefits, described below, of children doing the work. Not only that- young children enjoyed it! Just think of how often your toddler “helpfully” puts all the mail in the trash or tries to sweep crumbs up, while really just making a larger mess.
We typically feel annoyed or frustrated and make the situation stop. Or maybe you don’t, but you are not sure where to start with teaching chores. Jump to see which chores will be appropriate for your children.
Why Chores?
Maria Montessori found children are far more capable than society believed. Once a child has been shown how to do a job, they will practice it for a while. How long depends on the child, the difficulty of the job, and how often it is done.
Montessori classrooms handle classroom jobs in different ways, but typically they are responsible for cleaning the classroom. (Note: it is also cleaned by adults after the children leave!) Children are expected to dust, care for plants, sweep, vacuum, clean windows, and do anything else that needs to be done.
Studies have also found chores are beneficial for children. For one, it helps them feel like an important part of the family; a “we’re all in this together” mindset. It can also be a source of pride, knowing they “did it.” Chores are beneficial in raising self-sufficient, independent children.
Introducing Chores
Montessori classrooms teach children how to do many simple housekeeping chores. We introduce children to one job at a time and use child sized tools. Classrooms have small brooms, squirt bottles, and carpet sweepers. In my own home, I have also have a stick vacuum and a hand vacuum for our kids.
Everything a child needs to do each task should be easy to access. For example, we keep the broom and dust pan hanging in easy reach in the kitchen. A squirt bottle (just water for my kids) and some microfiber cloths are in a bin to clean windows.
The next thing to do is give the lesson. I start the lesson by getting the tool(s) we will need and doing some of the task. Secondly, I model cleaning up my supplies, which might include dumping the dust pan in the trash or putting the cloth in the laundry. Then we put our supplies away. Next, I will put the tools away. Finally, I will invite the child to do the task himself.
Practice Makes Perfect
Children often do not clean as well as we would like. I handle this in a few ways. If I am with the child and they are still engaged in the task, I will show her what she needs to do. For example, if a child is sweeping, I may point to some crumbs she may have missed.
It is more complicated if the child has decided the job is already finished. For young children or children who are just learning how to complete the task, I often just let it be. I will take care of it later, but never in front of the child! If the child sees me “fixing” their work, it feels demeaning and will make them wonder why they did it in the first place. If it is an older child or a child who has practiced the job often, I will call her back to do a better job, but kindly. “Susan, I noticed you have finished sweeping, but there are still crumbs in the corner. Please sweep them up, then we will come back to this.”
Which chores are right for my child?
The first chores I start with my children are those of personal responsibility. This means putting toys away, putting their dirty clothes in the basket, and cleaning up after themselves. Gradually I add more household responsibilities as is developmentally appropriate. If my children express an interest in something earlier though, I am happy to accomodate!
Here is a handy guide if you need some ideas for where to start:
