Chores and Children: Fallacy #3 It's Kids' Bad Attitude That Needs Fixing

4-May-2021

Reposting the blog series from 2011, about kids and housework... (see the original here, and the first two posts in the series here, and here).

So often, parents want kids to go along with things based on the way they had to, long ago: you just have to, smile and pretend you're enjoying it, stop fussing, get on with it.

We are trending toward more respectful care of our children, with more understanding about how they are real people with valid feelings and opinions...

Question 1.	How can I improve my kids’ attitudes toward helping out at home?
Answer 1.	Check your attitude. The odds are excellent that your kids are mirroring, venting or just showing you yours.
Question 1.a.	My attitude is excellent: I know it needs to be done, I know it’s ‘work now, play later.’ I know it’s important to get things done.
Answer 1.a.	I’m not hearing ‘I enjoy and value this work while I’m doing it –I plan it and look forward to it.’
Question 1.b.	What kind of nutcase feels that way about cleaning toilets?
Answer 1.b.	You’d be amazed –but it’s the attitude you want someone to tell you how to install in your kids. If you can’t find it within reality, how on earth can they?

It really is a strange idea, that something we find disgusting or unreasonable should be seen any differently by someone we want to delegate it to.

Linda Clement is a parenting coach who works with highly successful parents who are seeking to break the cycle of transgenerational trauma. If you're ready to leave a legacy your great-grandchildren will thrive with, you're invited to start here with half an hour on Linda's calendar...

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