When most people think of a job they often associate the word with stress, dislike, or anxiety! I was thinking about this a few months ago a realized that unhappiness was not a feeling I wanted my children to associate with their job. Here are three summer “jobs” that in our home we consider to be a positive impact on our children and create good natural habits.
Fixing Bed
It has been proven that waking up and fixing your bed in the morning is a sure way to begin a productive day. I find this to be an important tool for our children. On the reverse side- getting into a bed at night can prove to be more restful when your bed has been respected and made that day.
Bathrooms
We do not expect perfection here. Consistency is the biggest key. In each bathroom under the sink there is a caddy that holds all the supplies to clean the bathroom. It is expected that the bathrooms be wiped down each day and deep cleaned at least once a week. An important thing to remember is positive feedback only. Children will never clean to the level that an adult does and it is not the expectation that they do. The whole purpose is to positively encourage jobs that generate healthy habits naturally. A clean bathroom definitely is more healthy!
Reading
This one might throw you off but remember the goal is to encourage jobs that generate healthy habits naturally. Reading is very undervalued- especially in todays technology driven world. We require at minimum our kids read for 20 minutes a day- what this looks like varies for each age. My 4 year old spends a lot of the time dictating what is on the page while my 9 year old is deep in her graphic novel phase. Make it fun, low pressure and exciting. If you are lucky to have access to a public library I would recommend trying to make it a weekly stop. It offers the opportunity for children to get more excited about reading while also offering opportunities to interact with others and learn new skills. It is one of the BEST way to read more with your children!
If you find these 3 jobs attainable I challenge you to implement them in your own home. Truth is these don’t just have to be for children, all of us could follow these healthy habits and experience the positive impact it has on our days. Remember to have fun, crank the music and embrace each persons style, life is too precious not to!
