by Editorial Staff | Nov 29, 2021 | Northy Letter
We have finally come to the end of the month of November. The month lasted several years, who knew we would see the end of it? In this week’s letter from me to you, here is how the week went.
Monday
The day was exhausting but short and for people like you and me who intend to have the best of our short time on earth, it’s important that we take care of ourselves, Aisha Zakari crafted a 30 Day Challenge For Self Improvement and Development. I like the challenges and I think you will too, what do you say we do this together?
Tuesday
On Tuesday, I brought you the opportunity to remain healthy. You can’t remain healthy if you consume just anything that comes your way. Have you ever wondered just How Healthy is Your Diet?
Not just your diet, I also care about your fitness, after all the two go hand in hand so here are the 10 Best Workout Apps in 2021 because I am aware that going to the gym every day can be discouraging. You will burn fuel and time but with this, you have the gym at the tip of your fingers.
I’ve fixed your gym problem, can it get any better? Yes, so go ahead and check out Why You Should Use WhatsApp Business in 2022. If you don’t already use this then your business messages could get mixed up with personal messages, and the last thing I’d want is for you to miss an order.
Wednesday
Have you ever wondered why after a certain meal your breath smells funny? If you are like me and you always carry a mint or gum, but you’ve used it and your breath smells foul still, then you may need to read 10 Surprising Foods That Are Bad For Your Breath because honey, I don’t want you to meet your crush in that state. However, you need to know that that can’t be the worst thing that could happen. You could have a really bad time if you are asthmatic and you eat any of these Foods Every Asthma Patient Should Avoid.
Thursday
Thursday was the storytime. I have heard a thousand stories of myth concerning the Dutsen Amare, even that it was a bride and her cohort that turned into stone. I think it’s high time we dug into the Story of the Mysterious Dutsen Amare to find out the truth about it.
Friday
Friday was giving tips. I always wonder why some siblings live like cats and mice. They just don’t like each other a lot, and it makes you wonder if they are siblings at all and not rivals. Well, we have from Happiness Hassan – My Mom Used These 8 Ways to Manage Rivalry with My Siblings, and They Were Quite Effective.
Some people don’t believe in love and they prefer to fold their arms and wait for anything to just come to them but not Abdulganiyu Ibrahim. He takes us on a good ride through his journey and it’s all on I Went to Benue State Searching for Love and This Was What Happened. Do you have a story or you are too afraid to go searching for it? I’m not and I will tell you my story someday.
Ladies, look in the mirror, what do you see first? If it’s your forehead then I bet you we will get along just fine because I have for you 10 Gele Styles for Women with Wide Forehead. I am on your team and you can tell.
Saturday
Saturday gave us Why Parents Need to Understand Child Psychology. Connecting with your child is paramount. And while you are bonding, here are 10 Important Things You Should Teach Your Child because if your child can’t look at you and feel you are their home, then we have got a problem to fix right away.
Sunday
Now for the cherry on the top on Sunday, we brought to right on your doorstep How to Prepare Miyan Shuwaka (Bitter leaf soup) and How to Prepare Miyan Alayyahu (Spinach Soup). These are honestly elite soups, give okra a break.
While you await our newsletter for December, try to have as much fun as you can. It is after all the jingle season. Happy holidays!
by Maryam Idris Bappa | Nov 27, 2021 | Opinion, Family & Parenting
Yara manyan gobe
This is a popular northern Nigerian saying meaning children are the leaders of tomorrow. You ask a child what he wants to become in the future and he replies with “I want to be a footballer”. This is okay because, at that stage, the child is replying to you out of pure passion and adoration for the profession and not because he understands what it will truly mean for him to become a footballer. But that does not necessarily mean you should throw what he is saying out the window. Here is why.
It is true that at the earliest phase of childhood, children are driven more by emotions rather than logic. Generally, a newborn baby will cry when he is hungry, sleepy, or sick. Thus, generations of parenting have allowed parents to interpret this signal in many ways to enable them to understand what the baby actually wants. They understand that a baby may cry and rub his eyes when he is sleepy or cry and suck his own tongue when hungry. This means that children know what they want even before they are able to express it coherently.
As children grow, they begin to feel more than just hunger and sleepiness and experience emotions of joy, sorrow, fear, and surprise. As time goes on, these simple emotions evolve into more complex ones like pride, hope, confidence, guilt embarrassment, and empathy. Then it is at that stage that a child begins to develop his own unique likes, dislikes, wants, and personality in general.
It is also at that point that a child needs to learn how to manage his emotions. But this is where the problem arises as the average northern Nigerian parent is likely to be ignorant of these developments and usually ends up infringing on the child’s mental rights.
Unfortunately, a child’s mental state is very fragile, and continuous abuse of it may affect him psychologically as regards how he behaves, controls his emotions, or socializes with people in the future. Therefore, understanding why a child thinks the way he thinks and acts or reacts the way he does and acting appropriately on it will not only support his present but help in building and shaping his future self and personality based on who he actually is. This brings us to study the concept of child psychology.
What is Child Psychology?
Child psychology/child development is the study of subconscious and conscious childhood development. At the same time, it is the study of the psychological processes of children, their uniqueness, and their development.
Initiated in 1840, when Charles Darwin began studying and collecting data on the growth and development of his own children, child psychology went through German psychophysiologist and American educational psychologist namely William Prayer and Stanley Hall respectively. These two put forth methods and periodicals to child psychology and education.
By the 20th century, the field of child psychology was further defined by the development of intelligence tests and the establishment of child guidance clinics. In modern child psychology today, Jean Piaget regarded as its founder, developed a theory of acquisition in children, where he described the stages of learning in childhood and characterized children’s perceptions of themselves and the world at each stage.
Key Areas of Child Psychology
Moreover, five key areas of child psychology are outlined including development, milestones, behaviour, emotions, and socialization. Each area has its own sub-areas. Our point of focus here is ‘development’, which in this article proves to be crucial of the five.
Child development has three areas of focus namely; Physical development, Cognitive/intellectual development, and Social/emotional development.
1. Physical Development
This refers to the physical changes a child’s body undergoes from birth and usually happens in a mean predictable manner. Usually, your child will roll his head up, roll over, crawl, walk and run.
Physical development also includes the acquisition of gross and fine motor skills which means the ability to use one’s big muscles to carry out activities like walking, and also the ability to use smaller muscles like their hands and fingers to pick up small objects or hold a spoon.
These different skills and developments of children usually occur within a specific time frame or window and are guided by developmental milestones from the first six weeks to seven years of infanthood.
2. Cognitive/Intellectual Development
This includes reasoning, imagination, language, and thought, cognitive development refers to all processes children use to gain knowledge. It is the intellectual learning and thought processes of a child, mostly influenced by genetics and environment.
Nowadays, babies show interest in their environment before they have the language to express it.
3. Social/Emotional Development
Social development deals with learning to relate to other people. It is how a child develops values, awareness, and social skills necessary to relate with people around him.
Emotional development refers to how a child feels, understands, and expresses his emotions. The emotional development of a child has a major effect on his social development because the way a child feels understands and expresses his feelings has a direct impact on how he relates with other people and gain social skills.
Social skills that children may develop include trust, friendship, conflict management, and respect. These are greatly influenced by the amount of love and affection a child receives. Failure to attain these social skills may later pose difficulty for children in creating and maintaining satisfying relationships with others in the future.
Every parent strives to their best to see their children develop physically. They are overjoyed when their child takes his first step or says his first word. Enabling a child to attain his physical development milestones has never really been a problem. However, the same cannot be said for the other two development areas.
Learning to express and regulate emotions healthy has proven difficult for many children. Therefore, in this article, the effects of understanding cognitive/intellectual development and social/emotional development of a child by parents are aspects of child development to be focused on.
This is because they are given less attention to raising children in Northern Nigeria.
Why is Understanding Child Psychology Important?
We worry about what a child will become tomorrow yet we forget that he is someone today.
Stacia Tauscher
If you want your child to attain greatness tomorrow, believe in who he is today and make him grow. This does not involve forcing the child to be someone he is not or making him suit your needs. A child is an individual of his own and not an extension of who you are. Knowing who your child is and aiding him to be the best of himself is the way to go.
Below are a few of some of the reasons why you should understand your child’s psychology:
1. To Improve A child’s Mental Stability
Children have real understanding only of that which they invent themselves.
Jean Plageat
A child is one who goes through several schemas in which he explores different phenomena around him constantly learning and unlearning. At that stage, he is discovering himself and needs guidance and support more than education.
A mentally stable child is a child who has been allowed the freedom to make his own decisions and mistakes from infancy.
To allow a child freedom of mind is to improve on his self-identity and mental stability.
It is easier to build a build strong children than repair broken adults.
F Douglas
Rather than overburden and confuse your child with the manual of life which you have acquired, support your child by knowing that it is okay for him to discover, try and make mistakes or succeed on his own. Thus, watch him closely and guide him where possible.
This continuous trial and error will equip him with more understanding of his own self and deter him from developing personality disorders.
2. To build a Child’s Empathy
Kids don’t remember what you try to teach them, they remember what you are.
Jim Henson
By understanding and respecting a child’s emotional needs, you are teaching them how to respect other people’s feelings, emotions, and wishes. An empathic parent is far more likely to raise an empathic child than one who disregards the child’s feelings and gets what they want through manipulation.
Try to see and understand the world through your child’s eyes and the reason why he/she is hurting or doesn’t want to do a particular thing. That way, you make room for communication and teach your child that it is okay to not have your way all the time. This will go a long way in enhancing his emotional/social development.
3. To Enable a Child Become Independent
To take children seriously is to value them who they are right now rather than adults in the making.
Alfie Kohn
Boost your child’s self-confidence and independence by valuing and trusting in their instincts and decisions right here and now. Otherwise, you can choose to keep seeing and treating your children as infants and not valuing them as individuals. However, it does not stop them from growing emotionally and cognitively out of the prison you have built for them.
Instinctively, your children will slowly begin to demand privacy and independence from you as they grow. If you do not give it to them, they will take it for themselves.
Value your children even when it is difficult for you and do not treat them merely as extensions of yourselves. They too require most of the things adults require even if you feel they have not financially earned it or even deserve it.
This will improve their cognitive and emotional development and boost their sense of independence to enable them to perform even if you as a parent are not there.
The more risks you allow your children to make, the better they learn to look after themselves.
Roald Dahi
4. To Maximize a Child’s Potential
If children feel safe, they can take risks, ask questions, make mistakes learn to trust, share their feelings and grow.
Alfie Kohn.
There is no limit to what a child can achieve once you provide the right environment for him to develop. Sometimes, success is not measured by how much someone makes but by the satisfaction they are able to achieve with their own unique talent.
Every now and then, a great painter or a great lawyer arises to become a hero among others because he/she has been supported up to his full potential. I rather have the best bricklayer as a son than the worst engineer or doctor. Forget societal standards or stigma and help your child attain his full potential.
If we want our children to move mountains, we first have to let them get out of their chairs.
Nicolette Sowder
5. To Pass Onto the Child Better Values
What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.
Mother Theresa
They say you cannot give what you lack. In order to instil love and respect in a child, you must first give the child love and respect. Demonstrate good values to your child, help him develop physically, mentally, and socially and watch him become a great human being.
They say what you don’t know cannot hurt you, but guess what, children nowadays start knowing at a very young age. They may not be actively conscious of it but they are aware of all the damages being done to them at an early age and one day they will remember. Also, they will remember but it will be too late to do anything then. So cut the toxic trend and understand your children today.
Conclusion
Know who your child is and do not force them to become other than who they are. A child’s emotional and cognitive development is just as important as their physical development. There is no room for one to give way to the others. As such, child psychology is evolving every day to help us understand and raise our children better.
Therefore, we all must join this trend and make sure our children grow healthily in all developmental aspects of their lives.
by Happiness Hassan | Oct 1, 2021 | Family & Parenting
Unhappy adulthood is often a result of hurting childhood experiences. One of these hurting experiences is termed childhood emotional neglect. This form of neglect is done unintentionally for genuine reasons. Therefore, parents and caregivers may provide for a child’s basic needs and still neglect that child emotionally. However, in addition to its short-term effect comes unbearable scars of its long-term effects, that’s why many adults are still searching for how to overcome childhood emotional neglect mainly because the pain from childhood has refused to heal and is affecting another aspect of their lives most especially their relationship with their spouse and close associate.
What is Childhood Emotional Neglect?
Emotional neglect happens when parents and caregivers are uninterested or ignore a child’s emotional needs. What then are emotional needs? These are simply the feeling of being loved, knowing that someone cares about you, and is always there to encourage you even when you make mistakes.
Emotional neglect is made manifest whenever parents place high expectations on their kids, criticize them, or refuse to listen to them, or nag at them. Oftentimes, ignoring their sad looks, restricting their movement, or using insulting words while addressing them. Perhaps, not giving their kids support whenever they decide to pursue their discovered interest.
Unfortunately, as simple as it may appear it’s a parenting mistake that has destroyed the love bond between parents and their children.
What Are the Effects of Childhood Emotional Neglect?
Emotional neglect might not have physical effects like other forms of abuse such as physical abuse and sexual abuse. However, its internal effects are as detrimental as a physical effect. This includes:
- Numbing One’s feeling
- Perfectionist attitude
- Easily get discouraged
- Prone to negative self-talk and thoughts patterns
- Low self-esteem
- Having the feeling of rejection
- Reliving in the past
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Indifference towards other person’s feelings
- Sad countenance
- Poor self-discipline
- People pleasers
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Having the feeling of shame and guilt
- Not trusting anyone.
- Poor communication
7 Ways You Can Overcome Childhood Emotional Neglect
1. To Overcome Emotional Neglect Forgive Those Who Caused You Pain
In order to learn how to overcome childhood emotional neglect, you would have to do things you promised never to do, like forgiving those who caused you pain in the past. However, You might think nobody understands how badly you were hurt either by your parents or caregiver but for your good you need to forgive them. Refusing to forgive hinders your healing process, worsen your condition, and fills your heart with negativity.
As a victim of emotional neglect, you need to realize that those who hurt you had good intentions for you but were carried out wrongly. Therefore, forgiving will bring relief and happiness to your soul.
2. Let Go Of Your Past
Oftentimes, people claim to have forgiven those who hurt them but somehow they are still caught in the web of reliving their past. They find it difficult to move on, they keep on reflecting on how their emotions were shattered in the past. However, no matter how difficult it seems to forget you certainly have to learn how to take your mind off it each time it arises.
It’s pivotal you realize that dwelling in the past hinders you from focusing on today’s activities and enjoying the beauty that comes from them. Therefore, become committed to whatever you are doing at the moment, leaving no room for flashbacks on past experiences.
3. Self—acceptance Helps You Overcome Emotional Neglect
You might feel rejected and worthless as a result of being abandoned emotionally while growing up. However, what matters most is how you see yourself now. Unfortunately, the way you treat yourself is directly proportional to the way others will treat you. If you look down on yourself others will do the same.
Similarly, if you don’t believe in yourself or say negative words about yourself, that’s exactly what others will do. Therefore, irrespective of what you’ve been through, accept, value, and love yourself for there is plenty of room for positive growth.
4. Learn How to Recognize and Control Your Emotions
Those who are victims of childhood emotional neglect are prone to exhibiting negative and destructive emotions. In contrast, you could always substitute those negative impulses with positive ones. In essence, whenever you feel angry about your past, instead of retaliating, give yourself space, take control and replace it with positive emotions. This will prevent you from hurting yourself or others around you.
However, the best way to derive positive emotions is by setting your mind on those things which make you happy. This includes your interest, an adventure you did in the past, a scene from a movie, or past awards and accolades among others. In addition, positive emotions enhance emotional intelligence.
5. To Overcome Emotional Neglect, Choose Your Friends Wisely
Despite how shattered your emotions may be, you could still learn how to overcome childhood emotional neglect by carefully selecting those you associate with. Those you call your friend can make your life better or worse through their words and actions. Perhaps, you still surround yourself with discouraging friends, those who make you feel less of yourself and criticize your big goal, you need to rethink and discard such friends. This is because they will continually tear down your emotions.
In contrast, reselect those you associate with. Make friends with those that accept you for who you’re, encourage you, and bring out the best in you.
This set of friends will help you live above your childhood emotional neglect and have a happy life.
6. To Trash Out Emotional Neglect Become Active
As you learn more on how to overcome childhood emotional neglect, avoid staying ideal, as it makes you vulnerable to self-pity as a result of what you suffered during your childhood days. Therefore, to move to a better life, get involved in doing them worthwhile. This may require you to get a job, learn a skill, engage in your hobbies, or go on adventures with positive friends.
The goal of this is to take your mind off your past hurts and make you see thousands of reasons to live life the good way. Furthermore, avoid being alone for days without reaching out to anyone. That’s why you need positive friends with whom you can share your daily struggles and achievements.
7. Undergo A Therapy Class
Perhaps, you’re still struggling at overcoming childhood emotional neglect then it’s about time you undergo therapy. Therapy classes are not just for the traumatized victim, but all forms of emotional issues. The work of the therapist is to help you heal faster from your past wounds by helping you fix your mind on the present—a form of meditation.
Furthermore, provide you with tips to relate with others better like teaching you the 7C’s of communication. In addition, a therapist is also that listening ear to whom you can pour out your heartfelt pains at any time. I assure you of healing after undergoing a therapy session.
Conclusion
It’s detrimental if you attempt to overcome emotional neglect by doing the same thing that caused you pain to others, especially to your spouse or kids. The essence of you learning how to overcome childhood emotional neglect goes beyond healing yourself but that you also help others overcome and make the world a better place with healthy relationships.
If the tips provided here were helpful, then feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
by Happiness Hassan | Sep 23, 2021 | Family & Parenting
Words are powerfully endowed with the ability to build and destroy, encourage or discouraged, captivate or demoralize. Therefore, one must be mindful of the kinds of words used while communicating, especially to kids. As a parent, there are lots of things you should never say to your child if truly you desire the best for them. Unfortunately, most parents fall victim to this parenting mistake to be avoided, unconsciously at the detriment of their kids who hold onto every word spoken to them.
10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Child
1. Never Say to Your Child “You’re a Failure”
The dawn of a new day is another opportunity to better one’s life. Hence, it’s wrong to assume that your child is a failure mainly because they made a slight mistake. There is a lot of room for improvement, if only you make your child view life from the standpoint of progressive growth.
Moreover, using the word ‘failure’ on a child tarnishes their passion to try that same thing again or do anything captivating for fear of being insulted by their parents.
2. Why Can’t You Be Like the Other Kids?
The above statement is a destructive rhetorical question to ask your child. They can’t provide an answer to your question but within them, they begin to feel worthless, unloved, and ashamed of themselves. Gradually, he/she begins to withdraw from their peers to avoid being mocked.
Moreover, as a parent, never compare your child to another, for everyone has his or her strengths and weaknesses. The best you could offer your child is to help them discover their passion and give them your maximum support.
3. Avoid the “I Don’t Love You” Statement.
No matter how angry you’re with your child to the point of employing the violent method of disciplining a child, never say to your child I don’t love you. It’s wrong and can destroy a child emotionally, intellectually, morally, and otherwise. The home is the platform where kids learn the right attitude of love. However, if it’s not properly done in the home, the child gets the wrong concept of love and replicates it in the larger society – hurting other people.
4. Never Say to Your Child You’ll Never Get It Right.
As a parent telling your kids they will never get it right is one of the things you should never say to your child. Unfortunately, most parents feel that this kind of word helps challenge the child to do better. On the contrary, it encourages a child to remain average and endanger their self-esteem. Instead, join your kids in doing what may appear difficult to them rather than criticizing them for not getting it right.
5. I Regret Giving Birth to You Shouldn’t Be Used to Address Your Child
No matter how frustrated you may feel as a parent, most especially a single parent raising a child, know that it is extreme to tell your child you regret giving birth to him/her. That statement is wrong and is similar to disowning that child.
However, the more you express your frustration towards a child, the thinner the love between you and your kids will become.
6. Avoid The Statement; Let Me Handle It for You
There are lots of benefits attached to letting your kids make their own decisions for themselves. Therefore, it’s wrong to interrupt your kids with the comment; let me handle it. This is mainly because you feel they can’t do it to your satisfaction most especially household chores assigned to kids. As simple as these words may look, they go a long way in making your child feel imperfect.
7. It’s Wrong to Use “I’m Busy, Stop Disturbing Me” as an Excuse for Your Kids
Among the things you should never say to your child is; you’re too busy for them. Giving such excuses is common with parents who are struggling to balance work and family together. However, instead of shutting your kids up when they interrupt your activities, choose to suspend your activity and attend to your kids or talk to them calmly about your engagement and fix a better time.
8. Recommending Big Boys and Girls Don’t Cry Techniques to Your Kids
As a parent, never find yourself advising your kids to numb their emotions when faced with all sorts of circumstances. It isn’t a sign of weakness when they choose to cry or get angry when they make mistakes, but you must guide them on how to recognize and control their emotions so they don’t go extreme.
9. You Have a Bad Character
It’s about time you stop highlighting the faults of your kids and enhance their strength. Fortunately, the more their strength grows, the more their faults begin to disappear. In addition, calling your kida liar, noisemaker, or addressing them as being greedy, selfish, naughty among others are parts of those things you should never say to your child despite what they have done.
10. “You Will Never Be Like Me” Is a Wrong Word Used to Communicate with Kids
As a parent, know that you’re the first role model for your child. Therefore, you need to be mindful of how you live your life in the presence and absence of your kids. Irrespective of how successful you have become, don’t discourage your children from aspiring to reach higher goals in life by telling them they will never be like you. Instead, guide them on the part of success.
Conclusion
To regulate the kinds of words you use when communicating with your child, picture yourself in their shoes and examine how you will feel if someone else used such words on you. Certainly not happy. Hence, always weigh your words before you alter them for your kids.
Feel free to share your opinion on the types of words not to use for children in the comment section below.
by Happiness Hassan | Aug 4, 2021 | Family & Parenting
When it comes to home maintenance, kids are rarely included in the equation. In most cases, the home chores are divided between both parents alongside their regular activities or done by one parent if he/she is a single parent raising a child or someone else gets paid to do it. In contrast, there are lots of household chores for kids that parents can assign to their children to relieve themselves of some amount of stress.
Therefore, to avoid a nervous breakdown, engage in division of labour when it comes to home chores with your kids.
It’s your responsibility as a parent to provide all that your child needs to grow and thrive better. This includes meeting their financial, social, emotional, physical needs, selecting the right school for your child, enhancing their academic performance, ensuring they stay healthy with the best routine. However, to imbibe proper discipline and boost their passion for hand skills you need to learn about household chores for kids which are appropriate for their age.
In this article, you will learn more about household chores for kids below teenage age and those for teenagers.
What Are The Importance Of Assigning Household Chores To Kids?
It’s wrong to feel guilty or weak to ask your kids to help around in the house. To ensure your family is functioning properly you need to carry everyone along—including the kids. Delegation of household chores promotes unity within the family. It increases the love bond with your kids and teaches you kids more about teamwork—applicable to other aspects of their lives.
Furthermore, they learn how to become independent while away from home by solving their problems. In addition, they learn about certain skills like communication and listening skills, negotiating ability, critical reasoning, time management, organization ability, and lots more.
It’s also a way of disciplining a child positively to desist from a lazy attitude.
Household Chores For Pre–Teenagers
1. Tidying Up The House is Apppropraite for Kids
The reason why your kids disarrange the house most especially their rooms is that they don’t arrange it by themselves. Hence, they don’t know the importance of it. Tidying up the house isn’t a tedious task to accomplish. Therefore, feel free to delegate this to your kids. This includes setting their shoes and books shelves by themselves, arranging their toys, sweeping the house, and putting everything in the right order.
Oftentimes, they might not do it the way you need it, but ensure to give them guidelines to follow.
2. Assign Inside Errands to Toddlers
It might be risky to send a younger child on errands outside the home. However, they are still useful for inside errands. They are fast at delivering stuff they are asked to get. Therefore, while in the kitchen, carry them along by asking them to get things from the shelves while you cook.
While in the sitting room, ask them to bring your briefcase, file, purse, and whatever from your room.
3. Folding Laundry is an Appropriate Chores for Kids
Folding the laundry is another interesting chore for kids. So, while they can’t do the laundry, they can fold it up and place it in the right box. However, kids are always in a haste to finish folding all the laundry on time. In essence, this stage requires lots of patience with kids.
Subsequently, as they continue with it they adapt orderliness and patience as an attitude.
4. Ask Your Kids to Set Up The Table For Meal
Pre-teenagers aren’t capable of preparing a complete meal. But, they are effective in setting up the table for the meal cooked. Once you tell them how you want it placed. They are good to go! In addition, after the meal, it should be their responsibility to offload the dishes used back to the kitchen.
Also, as parents not eating together at least once a day is unhealthy for the family growth and also a parenting mistake to be avoided.
5. Placement Chores are Meant for Kids
It’s chaotic trying to place the items bought from the market in the right order after returning tired. Therefore, that’s why you have kids around you. Since they can arrange the house, certainly placing items in the right stand won’t be a difficult task for them to accomplish.
6. Kids are Good at Reminder Chores
This might appear minor to you but that’s what kids are good at—reminding you what you might have forgotten. This comes to play most especially when drafting out the list of the things you would love to buy for the household. Since kids are great observers they can notice the stuff that is exhausted and needs replacement within the home.
Household Chores For Teenagers
1. Yard Work Should be Assigned to Teenagers
Keeping the yard neat is made much easier when you have teenagers in your house. This is because teenagers are characterized by high exuberance. Therefore, they can lawn the grass without burning out compared to you as an adult.
2. Teenagers are Good for Outside Errands
In choosing the appropriate household chores for kids ensure that your older kids are allowed to carry out duties outside the household without your presence. This includes shopping for necessary items, delivering packages to a friend’s home, disposing of trash, and doing other important activities you need outside the home.
3. Ask Them to Take Care Of Their Younger Siblings
Why employ the service of a nanny while you have teenage kids at home? In contrast, employ the service of your teenage kids to look after their younger siblings while you are away from home.
It’s stress-free this way since the younger kids are already familiar with their elders compared to an outsider.
4. Assign Your Teenager Major Clean-up Work
You would do your teenage child much better by assigning them to major household clean-up chores. This way, they learn how to put their hands to work better to ensure the proper functioning of the home—applicable to other aspects of their lives.
Some major clean-ups include mopping, dishwashing, car washing, scrubbing the bathroom among others.
5. Ask Them to Assist in Preparing Meal
The best time for kids to learn how to prepare a meal is at their teenage age by assisting you in the kitchen. Fortunately, what is learned is carried into adulthood.
Therefore, allowing your kids to assist in the kitchen is one of the productive household chores for kids. It lessens the workload on you and provides them with a platform to learn.
Conclusion
Oftentimes, kids consider household chores boring and frustrating. Therefore, to encourage them to begin by being a model for them to follow. Remember, they need to see you do it first before they follow. In addition, reward and praise them after a job well done.
Furthermore, you can share other kinds of household chores you believe are appropriate for kids, in the comment section below.
