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-> Chinuch, Education & Schooling
ForeverYoung
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 Thu, Feb 10 2005, 11:09 pm
I am often surprised at how much my kids are capable of. Considering how much they enjoy helping me and how important it is to teach them to do so at early age (and all the new skills they learn while making my life easier)(+ spend time doing things together, as a free bonus),
what do your kids help you with at what age?
(I am asking for things that are REALLY helpful;
not wash floors and I have to re-was, but either they do it completely themselves or help so AT LEAST a part of the job is REALLY done & you have less to do)
let's post it in clear, easy to read format.
this is what my kids did/ do:
3 yrs - peel cooked eggs
3 yrs - set up kosos for kidush
5 yrs - peel cooked potatos
3.5 - sort silverware
4 - set silverware on the table with supervision
5 - set silverware independantly
almost 4 - set glasses next to plates on the table
4 - make napkin 'flowers'
3 - pour garbage from small garbage cans into the big one
3.5 - put away 'easy to reach' dishes
3.5 - put away folded laundry
3 - help serve on Shabbos
3.5 - put whites into a separate hamper
I can't remember anything else now, but will post when do 
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sarahd
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Fri, Feb 11 2005, 4:12 am
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FY - those are well-trained kids you have there!!
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Pearl
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Fri, Feb 11 2005, 4:30 am
well, FY, (btw, nice new photo!), I think I am blessed with children like yours ! My girls are now 5 and 7, but for quite some years help out the way your chidren help out. They also vacuum (with a small vacume cleaner), make their beds (and mine sometimes, if they feel like it, but I never ask for it!) and they play with the baby when I need to do things.
aren't we lucky!! B"H!!
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ForeverYoung
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Fri, Feb 11 2005, 10:19 am
| Quote: | | those are well-trained kids you have there |
you know, they really like to help, espessialy lecovod Shabbos.
B'H, they love shabbos!
any more tips?
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gryp
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Fri, Feb 11 2005, 10:37 am
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how about putting away groceries, clearing specific small things from the table, organizing toys and bookshelves, cleaning up own room, dusting,...
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ForeverYoung
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Fri, Feb 11 2005, 10:51 am
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RG, I would like to know AGE when we can entrust these tasks to them, b/c I don't want to put too much pressure to perform & kill the joy of helping for them
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gryp
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Fri, Feb 11 2005, 11:06 am
whatever size task is appropriate for your child- small tasks for small children, larger tasks for older children...
all of the tasks I mentioned above can be adjusted
I dont mean for the children to have to do these things every day, but once in a while
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Yael
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Sat, Feb 12 2005, 7:33 pm
also remember that each child is different and wants to do diff. things at diff. ages.
you wrote 3.5 yrs for sorting silverware, my 2.5 yr old just learned to do that. he also helps bring things like cups and napkins and juice bottles to the shabbos table. he collects dirty laundry at bathtime and brings it all to the basket.
he loves to "help" clean, so I give him a shmatte and he wipes down the walls, chairs, etc. cute but not exactly helpful.
lets see what else....
he brings things for me when I ask, and puts things in the garbage,
entertains dovi when I'm busy.
he puts away the pots and pans that he and dovi pulled out from the cabinet to play with.
if I think of any more I'll post it.
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gryp
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Sat, Feb 12 2005, 9:46 pm
| Quote: | | he loves to "help" clean, so I give him a shmatte and he wipes down the walls, chairs, etc. cute but not exactly helpful. |
Mendel does that!  everytime he finds a napkin he bends down and starts to "wash the floor"
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ForeverYoung
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Sat, Feb 12 2005, 11:01 pm
| Quote: | | whatever size task is appropriate for your child |
ahh, you see, RG, I wouldn't even think of asking my 2.5 yr old to sort the siverware untill Yael told me aobut it
This is why I'm asking for ages.
And of course, I will adgust the task to each individual kid.
Right now, my kids fight over the tasks, so the more ideas you guys come up with, the more SHalom ther wil be in our home 
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miriam
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Sat, Feb 12 2005, 11:27 pm
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My thirteen month old helps unload the dishwasher. She hands me each piece and says todah. She also helped me set the shabbos table. I handed her the Kiddush cup and she put it on the table. I don't think I would do it all the time but it was fun to watch this little thing working.
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ForeverYoung
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Sat, Feb 12 2005, 11:51 pm
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so sweet!!!!
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Motek
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Sun, Feb 13 2005, 12:10 pm
issue #41 of Mishpacha had an article about this which addressed the issue of Responsibility vs. Neglect
not that I think that the examples given in earlier posts weren't good, they sound great, we just need to be aware of not going too far in assigning responsibility
It described sending 4-5 year olds to the store (in Israel where children are given independence at much younger ages than in the U.S.) and had one nearly died when they tried reaching for a jar of jam which fell off the shelf and cut a major artery in the child's leg.
it described little children, 7 -8 years old, shlepping something way too heavy for them
a dr. is quoted as saying that children under age 7-8 have no realistic sense of danger, they don't have a complete understanding of cause and effect, that most children who come to the emergency room were involved in preventable accidents
a biggie mentioned in the article is putting older children in charge of younger ones, where it says even the oldest child in the family is still a child, and that a 7 yr. old cannot be expected to be responsible for a 3 yr. old
this dr. doesn't think it's acceptable for a 7 yr. old to walk younger siblings across the street
it says we can ask a 4 yr. old to watch her younger brother but only in the next room. We can send her to play outside by herself, but only where we can see her from the window.
how can a 6 yr. old watch his younger siblings in the park when he still isn't responsible to take care of himself?
terrible story about a couple who went out, leaving their 5 yr. old (Israel) to babysit. The child climbed on a chair and touched exposed electric wires and was electrocuted 
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ForeverYoung
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Sun, Feb 13 2005, 12:39 pm
thanks for the input.....
I'm glad you gave 7-8 yr old reference, I always wondered when I can let my kids out by themselves!!!!
Actually, when my oldest was 19 mnths old, I asked him to stand next to the couch to make sure that the baby doesnt fall while I dash to get something. But!!! he never stuck his fingers into the baby's face!!!
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supermom
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Thu, Feb 17 2005, 6:34 am
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when my three year old was two she was doing everything from cleaning her room, making her bed, sweeping, moping, cleanin, putting away groceries, setting the table, clearing it off etc. I think a lot of kids can do more than we are letting them do. Like for an example my three year old wants to do dishes but she doesn't clean them spotless. so I don't allow her to do them but my in laws don't mind. You can test your kids out by giving them the job and if they are capable then fine and if not then also fine.
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ForeverYoung
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Thu, Feb 17 2005, 1:16 pm
I let my 3.5 yr old rinse not sharp non-breakables.
She begs me to do it!
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Tefila
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Thu, Feb 17 2005, 2:41 pm
There is very good reason to start educating them early my almost 3yr old now puts the cutlery away. Not only is it a help since she does it correctly.... takes forever though But she learns organize and seperate educational too. Also one of my kids folds towels seperates and puts where it belongs so she folds the washcloths and color coordinates too, No not from my side for sure
One of my other sons sets the shabbos table incl napkins in cups. Basically once aday each of my kids has a job that needs to get done but takes no longer then 20 min.
They all shovel since it's fun together. Even my almost 3 yr old has a small shovel and is also quicker. And on garbage day since now it is winter with loads of snow they don't pick up garbage till every second week so when it's time to be taken to the side all the males in my house take it.... and thats lots b"h
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1stimer
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Thu, Feb 17 2005, 2:45 pm
I'm not writing this in response to any of the previous comments, just a word of caution on this matter:
children are not our slaves, and while they should help out within the house within reason, we cannot expect them to be parents to younger kids, cleaners etc.
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proudmom
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Thu, Feb 17 2005, 2:47 pm
| 1stimer wrote: |
children are not our slaves, and while they should help out within the house within reason, we cannot expect them to be parents to younger kids, cleaners etc. |
it is important to teach the kids to help out in the house. If you dont teach them who will.
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Tefila
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Thu, Feb 17 2005, 3:30 pm
Kids who grow up doing little next to nonething do NOT help out in their own houses when older and won't know how to cope without a cleaning lady daily.
I thank my mother for getting me to help alot and make me independant so now B'H with so much going on in my house and a cleaning lady only once in awhile. I can still juggle THANKS TO MY MOTHER. And we are fam so we all chip in.
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