Creating a Successful Summer Chore Plan

Posted on July 16, 2019 - 11:36 pm by Early Childhood Hub

With the kids home for summer and lots of housework that needs tending to, you may be wondering what chores you can give to your older children. Studies have shown that there are benefits to children having chores, including learning mastery of a task and feeling a sense of accomplishment. Having your child wash windows every Monday not only frees you up to get something checked off your to-do list but also teaches your child a skill that they can carry with them through adulthood. This week, we offer tips for creating a successful summer chore plan.

Getting started

Start chore responsibility off on the right foot by holding a family meeting to make a plan.

Explain to your child why you are having the meeting and why helping out around the house is important. For example: “Living in a family involves a lot of work. It takes all of us working together to take care of ourselves and our home. It is everyone’s responsibility to help the family run smoothly, so we want to give you some choices about what you can do to make all of our summers fun.”

Make a list of chores that need to be done: making beds; taking out the garbage; watering the garden; feeding the dog.

Ask for your child’s input: Give your child a chance to say which tasks they would like to do. Ask your child to choose jobs they can manage alone, but be mindful of your child’s age and abilities.

Create a final jobs list and categorize by family member, and whether each chore is daily, weekly, or monthly. Make sure it is clear on the chart that you are contributing to the family too.

Your child might benefit from a visual checklist that shows them what chores they need to do on certain days of the week. Many elementary school children like to help make their checklist. Your child could help draw the lines, read items from your draft list, or write down chore items themselves.

Before talking with your child about their new jobs, decide whether you plan on using rewards or consequences as an incentive. Each child is unique and you know your child best. As a family, decide whether, for example, your child can “earn TV time at the end of the week” for completing chores.

As with all chores, the key to your child’s success is showing your child how to do the task and doing it with them until they are comfortable. At first, your child may need help getting started with their chore, especially if it is a new one. Ask them what would help them remember to do their job. One idea is to do it at the same time every day. Another is to pair it with something else the child likes to do. For example, maybe they would find it fun to listen to their favorite songs while washing the dishes or folding laundry.

Ask if they would like a reminder from you if you notice they haven’t done it by a certain time. If they don’t do their task, are there natural consequences you can live with and are the consequences applied to each family member? Do you have a “work before play policy” in your household? If so, make that clear in your discussion.

When you notice a chore has been done, get into the habit of saying thank you. Add an impact statement, telling them specifically how it makes the family run more smoothly. Tell them how them doing jobs around the house or yard makes it more pleasurable to walk up to the front door or hang out in the living room.

At the end of the first week, talk with your child about how chores are going. Ask for their opinion, then offer your own thanks. Keep your conversations positive and offer lots of praise when possible.

Yard card and safety

While some chores, such as feeding pets or putting laundry away, are appropriate for children over 7, there are certain chores that need to wait. Many parents are eager to get their kids on lawn mowing. duty, but the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has some guidelines regarding this common household chore—and for good reason. According to the AAP, in the U.S., more than 9,000 children go to the emergency room for lawn mower-related injuries every year. To use a push mower, children need to be 14 and over. In addition:

Kids must be both strong and mature enough to remain focused on the task

Be trained in how to safely operate a mower

Wear eye protection and closed-toe shoes

The AAP also recommends that parents supervise their child’s work until they are comfortable that their children can mow alone. And, lawn mowers, weed eaters, chip-shredders, and other sharp-edged yard tools should not be used by anyone under 14. While lawn mowing may be out of the question for a few years (or not!), there are lots of other yard work chores your child can help with:

Teach your child how to maintain a garden, including planting seeds, watering, and pruning.

Have your child be in charge of the watering schedule.

Show your child what plants are “weeds” and what needs to be removed.

Rake up any tree debris.

Shovel dirt or mulch into garden or flower beds.

Harvest fruits and veggies from the garden.

Create a compost bin and manage it.

Teaching life skills

Accomplishing chores makes kids feel proud of their competence in taking care of their possessions and living space, which also makes them feel good about themselves and builds confidence. Teaching your child to care for their living space from an early age will set them up for success later in life.

This article is brought to you by Parenting Now Parenting Educators and authors Amanda Bedortha, Claire Davis and Lynne Swartz, and consultant Jay Thompson. Parenting Now offers parenting groups and drop-in programs for families with children 0-8, and is passionate about happy, healthy families. For more information about Parenting Now, please visit their website or contact us at info@parentingnow.org.

Triple P – Positive Parenting Program

Are you interested in receiving more parenting advice? Triple P Online – Positive Parenting Program could be for you! This online parenting program allows you to take a parenting class in the comfort of your own home!

If you live in Lane County, you can get Triple P Online for free by filling out the form on the Triple P page. A staff person from Parenting Now will send you an access code within 24 hours and you’ll be able to start using the program right away! For more information about the program and to sign up visit the Triple P page.

Splash Into Safety: Water Safety Tips for the Summer

Posted on July 20, 2018 - 7:08 pm by Early Childhood Hub

Children are naturally drawn to water. Makes sense—they float around in their mama’s fluids for nine months before joining us in the outside world. As infants and toddlers, many children enjoy splashing in the pool or other small bodies of water. Like most other aspects of their lives, water play requires a certain degree of caution, as well as safety measures. In this Triple P post, we break down some lesser-known water safety facts and provide tips for keeping your children safe this summer.

Water, Water, Everywhere!

During the summer months, many families like to have water tables, sprinklers, and small swimming pools available in their back or front yard for children to play in. Just like it is never safe to leave your infant or toddler alone in the bathtub, same goes for any small bodies of water, including baby pools. Less obvious places to be careful of include:

Fishponds

Ditches

Fountains

Rain barrels

Watering cans

Buckets filled with water

Because young children can drown in only a few inches of water, always empty out containers of water when you are not using them. (A bonus is that this also discourages breeding mosquitoes!) The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends using “touch supervision” while in the water, meaning that you stay within arms reach of your child when they are in or around water. Precautions at a glance:

Never leave young children unattended near water.

Empty containers of water.

Put away inflatable pools when not in use.

Consider fencing around permanent, small bodies of water at your home, such as a fountain or pool. The AAP recommends that backyard swimming pools, (including large, inflatable above-ground pools), be surrounded with at least a 4-foot high fence with a self-closing latch at least 54 inches high.

Do not use a pool cover in place of a four-sided fence.

Lock away your pool chemicals and pool filtration equipment.

At The Pool

Local swimming pools can offer much delight for children. However, just like at home, children need constant supervision at the swimming pool. Many public pools have a separate baby pool designed for your littlest ones. This is designed for parents and toddlers to enjoy the water together. Assure the toddlers and older kids alike follow “walk, don’t run” rules when near the pool, as well as have a good understanding of where the shallow and deep ends of the big pool are.You may see signs around the pool that say “No Diving.” They are there for good reason. Even the best swimmers can misjudge the depth of a pool, dive in, and hit the bottom, which can cause serious head and spine injuries. For your diving experts, show them where it is safe to dive and never let your older child dive into the shallow end.

Life Jackets

Life jackets have come along way since the days of old. Water wings, vests, vests with collars, learn-to-swim-aids—all brightly colored and even with fun characters—but they may not be approved personal flotation devices! PFDs are designed to help a person stay afloat in water, and should be marked as certified or approved. It can be hard to know what the appropriate choice for your child is. The first rule of thumb is that your child should always wear a life jacket that is an approved personal flotation device when he swims or rides in a boat. Life jackets are sized by weight:

Infant: 8 to 30 pounds

Child: 30 to 50 pounds

Youth: 50 to 90 pounds

For infants and small children, a life jacket should have:

Padded head support to help keep the child’s head above water.

Grab handle to easily pull a child out of water.

Crotch strap to help keep the life jacket from riding up.

Other tips to follow:

Make sure the life jacket is the right size for your child. If it is too loose, the life jacket will ride up around their face. If it is too small, it will not keep them afloat.

Consider selecting a color that is bright and easy to see.

Never use a life jacket as a cushion or toy—it can flatten the inner material.

According to the AAP, blow-up water wings, toys, rafts, and air mattresses should never be used as life jackets or life preservers.

Life jackets and life preservers should never be substitutes for adult supervision.

Not surprising, many infants and toddlers are not fans of wearing life jackets. Before hitting the pool or lake, let them get used to wearing it by trying it on at home.

Next Level Safety

If you want to take your water safety skills to the next level, consider getting your CPR (cardiac pulmonary resuscitation) certification. American Red Cross, Oregon CPR, Lane County CPR, and CPR & First Aid Training Center offer classes regularly in adult and pediatric CPR.