Raising Young Children to Be Helpers

Raising helpful children is as easy as actively involving your kids with everyday household chores, as well as having them help out with errands while on the road. The trick is to keep them focused on their chores, while helping out; which they will want to do, if you make it rewarding for them.

Part of a life-training plan is to begin when your kids are just toddlers; they will try to help at this age anyway. They cannot wait to show you how strong and capable they are, and sincerely want to help you out in any way that they can.

Chores for Your Toddler

Encourage this helpful behavior with simple tasks such as carrying lightweight groceries into the house right along with you. Your little helpers can carry in most of the paper goods like diapers, paper towels, and Kleenex boxes.

Another good chore for your toddler is picking up their toys before going out, or eating lunch. To make picking up toys easier for your toddler buy, or make them a toy box, big enough to hold all their toys in one easy place, while singing the super-simple "Clean Up" song. Teach a cheerful work ethic, as depicted in Disney's animated short "Whistle While You Work - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" for younger children.

Rewarding Your Toddler

At this age rewards are unnecessary as they generally have, or are given more toys and stuffed animals than they can ever hope to play with. Understand that your toddler enjoys helping out. Your hugs and joyful expressions, over their every accomplishment, is usually reward enough for them.

Chores for Your 3 to 5 Year Old

Your 3 to 5 year old can carry heavier grocery items into the house after shopping, sort clothes for laundry, and water the garden. These chores will be fun for them because they associate groceries with eating, which they like, laundry can be fun to roll around in; and who doesn't like to play with water while watering plants, or watching their garden grow?

Rewarding Your 3 to 5 Year Old

Unfortunately your 3 to 5 year old will not want to put away their toys, so you'll need to try simple rewards, to entice them to clean up. You choose the healthy reward treat for them, like homemade fruit, and yogurt pops, as described in the article "Healthy Foods Your Kids Will Love to Eat" .

I also enjoyed treating my kids to an afternoon at the park, or community pool, once all their chores were finished. You could treat your kids to an activity more appropriate to your locale, such as a trip to the lake, mountains, or grandma and grandpa's house.

Your kids know a trip to visit the grandparents will get them anything their heart desires, and also rewards your folks, who love having the grandkids over. Take that time to do things you need to catch up on, or just take a needed break. Visiting the grandparents is rewarding for everyone.