When should a child start to do domestic chores?

While discussing with some friends over the weekend, some of them wondered what the appropriate time was for a child to take up chores in the house. Mr. Akin Olumide, an educationist, is infuriated at the thought that his wife still bathes their 10-year-old daughter: “My wife still bathes our 10-year-old daughter and I have […]

While discussing with some friends over the weekend, some of them wondered what the appropriate time was for a child to take up chores in the house.
Mr. Akin Olumide, an educationist, is infuriated at the thought that his wife still bathes their 10-year-old daughter: “My wife still bathes our 10-year-old daughter and I have been telling her that it will not do our daughter any good. At 10 she needs to be able to do things for herself. She is equally not allowing her to do any household chores, which I feel is absolutely wrong.”
Involving children in household chores is a tradition in many African families. It helps kids learn responsibility which is a vital aspect in their formative years.
Bilkisu Ahmed, a 39-year-old teacher says: “Eight years is okay for a child to start bathing and doing little household chores themselves. It is important to know that teaching a child to be independent doesn’t mean lack of care but true love and discipline. A mum could supervise or always keep the child company when they are engaged in these tasks. Most times, mothers pamper their kids to their own detriment as the children end up not knowing how to do simple things for themselves in future.”
Maimuna Sani, a 43-year-old event planner, says: “Kids should be prepared against the unexpected. God forbid, if something happens and she has to go and live with someone else, where does she start from? In the world we live in, at age 10, she should be able to take care of herself and even fend for herself. I am an only child but my mother never allowed me the privilege of being lazy and not doing things for myself. I started cooking at a tender age and it has helped me become who I am today.”
Hajiya Blessing Bello thinks that at the age of eight every girl-child should be made to learn a household chore. “At 10, a girl-child should be in the kitchen already making meals for herself and helping her mother with kitchen work. Over pampering a child, especially a female child, will do her no good. She will end up just being an overgrown baby,” advises the 45-year-old entrepreneur.
Marriage counsellor, Hajiya Maryam Abdullahi, notes that every child should be made to feel the sense of responsibility right from an early age. “Giving them a sense of responsibility gives them the right direction to be able to face the realities of life. I believe in children being independent from an early age. It helps them stand on their own when the need arises. As parents we are often misled by the thought that children are too young for certain chores. But they may be more capable than we think,” she said.
Abdullahi advises that: “We should engage them in getting their laundry done, washing plates, dusting of windows and other little chores. Then gradually as they grow the kitchen chores can be introduced. Children should be engaged in household chores at an early age, any parent who fails to do that will only have herself to blame in future. We have seen marriages crumble because the brides knew nothing regarding how to keep a home clean or even prepare simple meals.”
Most importantly, as parents we should not fail to praise them when they get things done. Consistency should be the watchword for parents who want to get their children involved in household chores at an early age.