Practical Skills

Teaching age-appropriate practical skills can make your household run more smoothly.  A homeschool mom wears many hats, "how do you do it all?" I'm often asked.  We work together.  My experience is that children love to help and be part of the family.  Start forming good habits early.  Work beside your child and talk about what you are doing.  Show them how to do a task and tell them what you expect.  An eight-year-old may learn to neatly fold clothes without wrinkles, but even a three-year-old can practice folding wash cloths.

A two-year-old can clear their place at the table, pick up their toys, put their shoes away and help dump the cups of flour in the bowl when you bake cookies.  At age six (or there about) children can learn to wash/dry dishes by hand and to load and unload the dishwasher putting the dishes away in the cupboard.  Teach a 10-year-old to sweep and use the dust pan.  Your 15-year-old can learn how to effectively was windows.

Teach the task, help them to succeed, evaluate their work occasionally, provide charts, incentives and consequences as needed.  As they become more skilled, allow them to do the task without prompting or coaching.  At first it will take time and patience but remember, you will be teaching important life skills to your children; and when the work is finished, you can do the fun things together.