The majority of us probably had chores we were responsible for growing up. Whether it was making the bed, taking out the trash, or scooping the cat litter, chores are a normal part of being a kid. Remember that beloved chore chart your mother swore was the best idea ever? Parents are always trying to convince kids that doing chores can be fun!
While most kids dread vacuuming or doing the dishes, doing chores is actually really good for children. I mean, think about it: it teaches kids responsibility and the value of hard work. Sure, we all hated cleaning when we were little. But as adults, we now recognize the value of being tidy and responsible.
Research suggests that kids who grow up doing chores are actually more successful as adults! So all you parents out there with whining kids, refusing to clean up their room - here's the validation you need to keep that chore chart in rotation. Make sure to read until the end to find out what the study says!
No fun
Listen, chores are no fun. They never have been, they never will be.The dread
Who else dreaded chores when they were a child? Having your mom wake you up early on the weekend to clean as the worst.Adults hate them too
Let's be real: adults hate chores just as much as kids hate chores. Only a select few people love cleaning. The majority of us?We hate it. Just as much as our kids.
Me: Okay, now that we're home from school, make sure to hang your jacket... [8yo already playing video games in his underpants] Me: ...up.— Sarah del Rio (@Sarah del Rio)1452207722.0
Always a mess
Came home and thought someone broke in and trashed the place to send a message and then I remembered I have kids.— The Dad (@The Dad)1454100452.0
Skills
Just taught my 5yo the Mr. Clean magic eraser is a game. I even let him win.— Northern Lights 🦖🦎🐢 (@Northern Lights 🦖🦎🐢)1433465508.0
Just as bad as the kids
"Can I go play w/ my Twitter friends?" Wife: "Are the kids in bed & the dishwasher emptied?" "...Yes" *wife opens cabinet, kids fall out*— Pete Lynch ⚪️ (@Pete Lynch ⚪️)1366247310.0
Disaster zone
I'm pretty sure the kids just squeeze toothpaste directly on the bathroom counter and then rub their teeth on it.— Rodney Lacroix (@Rodney Lacroix)1447414963.0
Mountain of laundry
I'm a mother of three so my idea of Heaven is just someone else folding my laundry... while I start a new life in South America.— Stabbatha Christy (@Stabbatha Christy)1435691638.0
Chores for parents
It's Friday & I can't wait to PARTY! Right after I put my PJs on, make dinner, put the kids down, take an 8 hour nap, get groceries & die.— Chad Read (@Chad Read)1390608271.0
Too real
Ugh, I hate it when the bathroom can't go any longer without being cleaned and I have to move on to my next family.— Amy Dillon (@Amy Dillon)1430708457.0
Don't look
Parenting Status: Too scared to look underneath couch cushions anymore.— The ParentNormal (@The ParentNormal)1456841466.0
Cheeto horror
wife: I JUST washed 9's shirt and he already got Cheeto dust on it! [flashback to me eating Cheetos and folding laundry] me: Unbelievable— Josh (@Josh)1447860982.0
Sound logic
If insanity is repeating the same action expecting a different outcome, should I just wait til my kids are in college to clean the house?— Marl (@Marl)1393963605.0
Dad of the year
Wife: *banging on bathroom door* WTF DID YOU DO Me: *desperately trying to clean silly string & marinara off kids* NOTHING— Grant Tanaka (@Grant Tanaka)1432237821.0
The war against laundry
What am I supposed to do with all this laundry? And before you answer, I already tried staring out the window and crying for 9 hours.— Lurkin' Mom (@Lurkin' Mom)1440183832.0
Three minutes tops
Only took me about three minutes of cleaning today to realize I'd had enough of that crap.— Kate Hall (@Kate Hall)1389466436.0
Worse than laundry
I don’t believe in the devil, but after cleaning out the shower drain, I know for certain that evil is real.— Dad and Buried (@Dad and Buried)1517179702.0
Relatable
Just got done with a deep cleaning of my kitchen so no one will be eating, drinking or even standing in here for the next 10 years.— Sarcastic Mommy (@Sarcastic Mommy)1534634587.0
Sounds about right
*burns down house* *checks spring cleaning off list*— ThisOneSays (@ThisOneSays)1499281152.0
The things one finds when cleaning...
Did a bunch of spring cleaning and now I’m the proud new owner of another box of random cords.— Simon Holland (@Simon Holland)1523815715.0
It's good for kids to do chores!
That's right - kids who do chores are more likely to grow up and become successful. You don't have to clean the house alone. All that dishwashing and bed-making is worth it after all!Planting the seed
Having children do chores teaches them the value of hard work. "By making them do chores—taking out the garbage, doing their own laundry—they realize I have to do the work of life in order to be part of life," says Julie Lythcott-Haims, the former Dean of Freshmen Stanford University.How to Raise an Adult
via: Shutterstock
Lythcott-Haims is the author of How to Raise an Adult, and spoke to Tech Insider about the value of household chores.Lots of research
Lythcott-Haims based her research on the Harvard Grant Study. She found several very interesting things...Happiness
According to her research, Lythcott-Haims found that children who did chores are happier later in life. They're also better employees!Communication skills
When kids learn how to do chores, they learn how to work with others. According to the research, they can recognize if someone is struggling because they can understand it.You know, since chores are a major struggle for children.
Who knew to force your kid to make their bed or vacuum the living room was actually teaching them empathy? Let the chores carry on!Hard work
via: Getty Images
"If kids aren't doing the dishes, it means someone else is doing that for them," Lythcott-Haims said. "And so, they're absolved of not only the work but of learning that work has to be done and that each one of us must contribute for the good of the whole."So...chores are actually good for children.
via: Getty Images
If you're a parent, you should never feel guilty about having kids do chores! Now...whose turn is it to scrub the toilet?