January 2010 - On the couch
Should children
help around the house?
In the first of our brand new discussion series, we ask three readers to share their opinions about how much housework we should expect children to manage - and whether they should be paid to do it!
Abigail Brier,
30
Lives in Lancashire with her husband and has two children, a
five-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. She feels children
should help with chores from an early age
Veronica Martin,
52
Lives with her husband in Cheshire. Their two grown-up sons, aged
26 and 23, live away from home. A former primary school teacher,
she says she can easily spot a pampered child that has never had to
help out at home
Vicky Herbert,
33
Full-time mum to two boys aged ten and nine, and an eight-year-old
daughter, she lives with her partner in South Wales. She does all
the housework and cooking and expects her daughter to do more in
the house than her sons.
What kind of things do you expect your children to help out with at home?
Abigail: "My daughter is much more eager to help than her brother. At three, she is perfectly capable of pulling the clothes out of the washing machine and loading the tumble dryer. She'll also help me wash up by standing on a chair to reach the sink. But my son is very messy, and simple jobs like tidying are his limit!"
Veronica: "When my two boys were growing up, I was determined they would learn good habits. They learnt to change their pillowcases on a Saturday morning, put their dirty clothes in the laundry basket at night, help with the dishes after tea and as they got older, they'd vacuum. At eight, they learnt how to iron at Cubs and, from then on, they were allowed to do their own clothes. I think they're glad now that I got them to do things at home - my daughters-in-law even more so!"
Vicky: "I see my role as the homemaker so I tend to not really ask too much of my children, because I like looking after them. I certainly don't expect my sons to do as much as my daughter at home. She'll help me with washing up and tidying, and as she gets older I'll show her how to do more, like the laundry and how to do some cooking."
Veronica: "Don't you worry about how they'll turn out in future? That your sons won't know how to look after themselves or do their bit around the home?"
Vicky: "Well, I feel like I am training my daughter to know how to run a home. I can only hope that my boys meet someone who cares about being a good housewife and mother as much as I do."
View video footage of the candis debate
To read the rest of this article either join or turn to page 46 of your January issue.
IN YOUR OPINION
Should children help more around the house? (CLOSED)
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Comments:
"If children help out in the house especially with cooking they will be more able to fend for themselves once they move away from home. I don't necessarily think they should be paid for it as it should be carried out as a matter of respect for their parents, themselves and the house they live in."
Jane Jones - Saturday 2nd Jan 2010
"My children always help I have a 7 year old daughter & 2 year old son she helps pair up socks she distributes the clean washing into the right bedrooms. lays out cutlery puts away dishes and a few other bits and bobs. My son does silly things like putting things in the bin - and they both put away toys at bed time. I wouldn't expect any less I'm not here to be a slave to my children. How else do they learn if they never have to help? how else do they appreciate the work that goes into making a home run if they are never one of the cogs? "
Sarah Holdway - Friday 1st Jan 2010