Cleaning, cooking, laundry, organizing, bills, pet care, on and on and on……
These are things that don’t go away no matter what is going on around us. I am not a fan of these chores. However, in times of crisis I actually kick into domestication mode. I think it is because I know it is something that I actually do have control over. A clean, organized room or clean car helps me be able to think more clearly and just feel better overall.
The challenge for me is that I tend to want to do it ALL myself. In the short term this can work but for the long haul, it is not really sustainable. So, perhaps this is another time to enlist help by way of teaching our kids skills that will serve them (and us) well as they grow into adulthood.
Tip #5 Building Life Skills
First we need to assess what others are able to take on given age and ability. Then you need to decide what you are able to let go. I don’t mean willing, I mean really able. This is something I resisted for years and still have difficulty with but it is necessary if we want our kids to build independence. I know for me, I also have to let go of my perfectionism and let others do things their way and not necessarily my way.
Simple things like putting away toys, clearing the table after meals, loading the dishwasher, sorting laundry, loading the washing machine or moving clothes to the dryer can all be super helpful. Having help with folding laundry is a great help as well even if it might just be matching socks and folding underwear! A strategy I used was to have a general spot where all clean and folded laundry gets placed. Everyone was then responsible for getting their own clothes and putting them away as they see fit. Depending on ages, can kids help with cooking. Planning meals, pulling out ingredients, following a recipe, cutting veggies, baking, stove and oven safety are all important as well.
Another important skill - not just for this moment in time but for much of our adult population is online shopping! Amazon, DoorDash, GrubHub, and Instacart are some of my best helpers. They can be super helpful for people with anxiety or with sensory sensitivities. I am not a big shopper and really benefit from these tools. While there may be a delivery fee, in these times, it is safer, I find I buy less because I don’t get sucked into seeing all the things, and I don’t have the kids with me slipping things into the cart (yes they still do this as adults).
Cleaning is another skill that is key to independence. My kids would negotiate between who would clean the bathroom vs. clean a pile of dirty dishes. Breaking down cleaning chores into small chunks is helpful. You can create a checklist of things to be completed during a weeks time: bathroom, sweeping, dusting, mopping, vacuuming, taking out and sorting the trash, pet feeding and so on. Tasks can be divided between each person and when it is done you get to check it off the list!! Incentives could be involved for those that are more resistant. Bribery can be helpful to the learning process. We all like to get recognized for our work.
