Jobs to Help My Family

Materials You Need: Paper and pencil, paper cut into strips; list of simple everyday tasks or jobs your child is able to do, one written on each strip of paper. Examples: put clothes in a laundry basket, get the mail and put it on the table, put forks and spoons on the table for breakfast, sweep the steps. (These will depend on your family life and your child’s skills).

What You Can Do Together: Talk with your child about how big she or he is getting. Invite your child to pick out a job she or he can do every day to help you and others in the family.  Read aloud some of the jobs written on the slips of paper (or ask your child to close his or her eyes and pick one from a hat).  Agree that this will be your child’s job every day during the next week, or whatever period you wish. You might change jobs weekly (Many preschools have classroom jobs)

If necessary, demonstrate how to do the job and give your child encouragement and reminders at first. Praise your child’s efforts, whatever they are. Be specific in your praise, not just “Good job!” but “I see that you wiped the table very carefully. It’s really clean now!”   Especially praise your child’s independence in carrying out the tasks.

What Your Child is Learning: Your child is learning that her new skills are important to her or his family (and, later, to your child’s classroom and community).  Your child is practicing many skills that allow your child to help her- or himself (dressing independently, for example) and to participate in home life. This gradual, growing independence is a sign of positive development.