Teaching Children Chores May be a "Chore," But Here's Why It's Worth It

Partially-shoed son attempts to accelerate his chores.

Promptly at 5:30 a.m., our children jump out of bed. We hear the quiet sounds of singing as they cheerfully get dressed, tidy their rooms, and begin their household tasks. They tiptoe up to our room with a wonderful homemade breakfast. With satisfaction we hear the vacuum running and enjoy the fresh scent of lemon cleaner as we sit in bed, reading books, and eating waffles made from scratch. Ha! Have we gone delirious? Yes. As any parent knows, getting children to work is serious work. 

In our home chore time brings a chorus of whining and complaining, sometimes accompanied by tears.  Some children flee for the sanctuary of the bathroom.  Others try the camouflage technique of blending into the couch and hoping we won't notice.  But we try to hold firm to our summer deadline - chores must be done by eleven a.m., and before they play with friends or do anything fun, chores must be complete.

Sometimes we feel alone in our efforts.  Increasingly, parents around us don't seem interested in fighting the battle. According to a survey by Braun Research in 2014, 82 percent of grown-ups said they had regular chores when they were growing up. However, only 28 percent reported asking their children to do them. 

But we still believe in chores. So far, science seems to be behind us. Numerous studies show the benefits of chores. Here are three advantages that could accrue to your young ones because of chores: 

1. More Academic and Career Success: A 2002 study at the University of Minnesota found that young adults who began chores at ages 3 and 4 were more likely to have good relationships with family and friends and to achieve academic and early career success. The Harvard Grant study of 724 high-achievers found that "professional success in life, which is what we want for our kids ... comes from having done chores as a kid." 

2. Better Mental Health: Yes, Eileen Kennedy Moore of Psychology Today tells us that chores increase a sense of well-being in children. And research by Andrew J. Fuligni and Eva H. Telzer suggests that children of varying ethnic heritages are actually happier when they participate in meaningful family tasks. 

 3. Stronger Adult Relationships: The 2002 University of Minnesota study mentioned previously also showed that children who participated in chores as children were more empathetic and had stronger relationships as adults. 

 Is teaching your children to work a walk in the park? No. You will likely spend much more time ensuring that your children were working than if you just did the job yourself. But teaching children to do hard things will have its benefits. I love this quote by Joy B. Jones: "Wouldn’t we rather have them 'sweat' in the safe learning environment of the home than bleed on the battlefields of life?"  And in your later years, as you watch them face the mountains of life, you will be glad that you had prepared them for the climb.