I firmly believe that babies and toddlers are smarter than most people give them credit for. When given the opportunity, I believe they will rise to the expectations they are given. Montessori methods believe in giving children the resources to do things for themselves, to be productive members of the family. Teaching them to do things for themselves, helps them grow up to be self-confident, happy kids.
For these reasons, I make my 1-year-old do chores. And, he is so proud.
For Henry, specifically, he has three chores he is responsible for doing. At this point, it is not Hen's responsibility to remember to do these things, but he is expected to do the chore once he is told. Each of these things Henry has been doing since he was around 18-months-old. Right now, Henry is responsible for:
Laundry: Henry must put all his dirty clothes in his laundry basket. Once they are off, he runs to put them away. It's actually really cute. One day, I left a pair of pants on the bathroom floor, Henry walked in, grabbed the pants and put them in his basket -- totally unprompted.
Pets: Henry is responsible for feeding the dogs when their bowls get low. Henry is in charge of the whole process -- getting the food, filling up the bowls, and putting away the food.
Floor: Henry swiffers the floor. We took out a couple of the center pieces out of the Swiffer so that its Henry's size, stick on the pad, and let Henry loose. A small broom, mop or push vacuum would also work for this task.
If you want to start giving your toddler chores, remember:
Keep the tasks simple
Don't push if they don't want to participate one day
Keep the tasks positive
No punishments for not getting them done
Don't have expectations that they will be done perfectly
Using these tips, Henry really loves his chores. He thinks each is a game, a fun and awesome responsibility. He truly does rise to our expectations.
Update November 2015: As we have gotten further into our Montessori journey, I wouldn't necessarily call these things chores anymore. For Nora, these are just everyday parts of our life. Other "chores" that she does now (at 16-months) are clearing dishes from her table, wiping down a table and dusting. Window washing and picking up toys are also completely possible for many young toddlers.
Update November 2015: As we have gotten further into our Montessori journey, I wouldn't necessarily call these things chores anymore. For Nora, these are just everyday parts of our life. Other "chores" that she does now (at 16-months) are clearing dishes from her table, wiping down a table and dusting. Window washing and picking up toys are also completely possible for many young toddlers.
Anyone else have chores for their toddler? How do they go over?
If you enjoyed this post, check out: Young Montessori Toddlers in the Kitchen; When Montessori Isn't Independent
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