If you let a toddler wash a mirror with you, he will leave streaks. If you ask a child to take out the trash, she’ll likely forget to gather it from one room or another. If you ask a teenager to mow the grass, he’ll probably rush through it and miss spots. It’s much easier just to do what needs to be done yourself.

In the long run, assigning chores to your kids will help you. You’ll have to be patient as you teach them how to do the work right, but if you are consistent and instructive, it will pay off.

Coaching your kids to do chores so that you can sit back and eat bonbons while they slave away for you is not the purpose of assigning them chores, of course. Teaching a child to work is a gift for them and only a bonus for you. When children learn at a young age to contribute to the household, they won’t take things for granted—and will likely transfer their thankfulness also to God.

Knowing how to do a job well and to stick with it until completed will also empower them to be productive adults. They will be less likely to have a sense of entitlement—as if everything should be handed to them on a silver platter—and more likely to be contributors. Not only will this help them to earn a living, it will give them a sense of purpose and a longing to serve in God’s kingdom.

“It is not what we get. But who we become, what we contribute…that gives meaning to our lives”. – Anthony Robbins

From Minute Motivators for Women by Stan and Linda Toler