Dear Mater: How do I teach my children to work?

Ask the mothers who have gone before you.

Dear Mater, 

How do I teach my children to work without turning every household chore into a battle?

Signed, Battling too many battles

Dear Battling,

Something my husband always said to do was corporate chores! Recently, I heard Dr. Greg Popcak say the same thing.

What do I mean by that?

Everyone cleans up after a meal; everyone cleans the house together! We live together, play together, pray and work together. This is the idea of corporate chores.

This way of thinking goes along with Catholic term 'domestic church'. A family is a team. We work together on the mission! The mission of the domestic church, is getting our spouse and children to heaven.

Here are some ideas on how to implement family chores.

When dinner is through no one leaves the kitchen. Several people clear the table, someone loads, takes out the garbage etc.

Clear Expectations:  Kind of like a job description. Here’s the chore, who is working on it and the age appropriate expectation of the quality of finishing the job. 

Rotation and Growth: Rotate tasks so that everyone learns how to do everything. My tendency was to have the children who did the best job do that job! Don’t fall into that trap. Let everyone clean the bathroom at some point, do the dishes, etc. 

Accountability Systems: Using visual chore charts or checklists.

These are few ideas not gospel. Take some of these ideas and work them into your family culture. The key is working together! 

Warmly, Mater

Dear Mater is a Catholic homeschooling advice column for the questions that keep mothers wondering. With wisdom, warmth, and a little humor, ‘Mater' offers perspective on the everyday joys and challenges of forming a family at home. Join ‘Mater’ Diane Aquila, wife to Dominic, mother of 13 (11 on earth), as she answers those questions and gently reminds us of the joy and gift of the vocation to home educate. Diane homeschooled all of her children until college (though a few attended school here and there as life demanded). She may not be a professional but loves to share her insight as a Catholic parent and home educating mother of many. 

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