(ThyBlackMan.com) I recently had a discussion with a good friend about parenting, and she found herself in the same place as plenty parents. The main issue was working all day only to come home to more work. There is cooking, cleaning, homework, baths, laundry, and many other tasks before mom and dad can tend to themselves. The more kids added to the mix the more this work grows. When trying to find solutions to getting the house to flow smoother I suggested a chore list as the children are old enough to be helpful. Though this sounded like a great idea she was concerned that chores would interfere with homework, and their after-school schedule. This is a conflict some parents face today. All they want their kids to focus on is doing well in school, and with anything pertaining to school because adding more responsibility could hinder their production.
The truth is children need responsibility beyond school. As parents we understand that our life consists of more than merely our duties where we work. Yes, our job is important as it is the primary 
method for providing a living, but we have other responsibilities that involve the care of self, our surrounding and those we love. How are our children ever to learn how to juggle those different areas if they never had to do anything but go to school, and outside of taking a bath they didn’t even have to take part in the care of themselves? Not instilling responsibility in out kids when they are young could also set them up to have difficulties handling the many different facets of life. Stress can be found in just about everything we do, but too many of our children go into shock when they are exposed to stress of pressure because it is all new to them. Something as simple as making their bed, keeping up with the trash day schedule, washing dishes or the bathroom regularly can feel like a lot when they have never been required to do any of these things.
Responsibility also teaches time management, something many college kids staying away from home may find to be a struggle. There is more than enough time in the day to go to school, practice, do homework, shower, eat dinner, clean up behind yourself, and put out the trash. We know this to be true because we work all day only to come home to the next to-do list. However, many of us were prepared because we had responsibilities at school, home, and sometimes in the community. Introducing responsibility could also curb negative outside influence as your children have things they need to get done, and they understand the importance which leaves less time to get caught up in unnecessary activities. This will not rob you children of having a fun childhood, but it will balance their understanding of work and recreation.
Giving your children tasks that allow them to contribute to the household makes them feel like an active participant in the family. In this space they can come to appreciate the sacrifices you make for them to have the things they have verses merely acknowledging such. You may find that your children are more sensitive and compassionate when you are tired after a hard day’s work. When they understand a family is a team there is also a lesser chance for the idea of entitlement to set into their thinking. They are learning that mom and dad are not the maid, and it is not your responsibility to make their beds, clean their room, fold all of their laundry, and cater to their every whim….as this isn’t life. in them understanding this they learn to treat you with the respect you are do, but they are also learning that they must pull their weight in a family. This reality better prepares them to be a spouse and parent one day.
Giving your children responsibility in the home will not kill their childhood, it doesn’t make you mean, and it isn’t child labor. Many of us had reasonable chores and were expected to keep up with them. Many of us are able to live on our own and keep our dwelling because we learned this at home. Our children deserve to grow up with the dame life skills and responsibility…this is something they should learn at home. Responsibility is another key to being a part of a functional family.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
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