Montessori
System
Curriculum/Programs
About
Us
Latest
News
Press
Releases
Parents
Teacher's
Profile
Location
About
the BVI
Tuition/Fees
Activities/Calendar
Awards/Recognition
Testimonials
FAQ's
History
of CHMS
Contact
Us
Links
Site
Map
Home
PARENT'S SECTION - WORKING TOWARDS RESPONSIBILITY
BY Mrs. Patricia Morgan
Parent handout on building responsibility provides sensible advice for supporting Montessori principals at home
As children grow, they should become more responsible – more willing to help, more aware of the needs of others, more able to manage tasks on their own. By eighteen, parents want children to know about what needs to be done to handle everyday life and how to accomplish these jobs. Nurturing a responsible attitude is the first item on the “parent job description: How do we begin? Can it be enjoyable? What responsibilities can we expect children to assume at different ages?
Always bear in mind your child’s stage of development when you ask him to assume a responsibility.
- The interests of young children, from birth to age 6 focus on self-care leading to physical independence.
- During the 6-12 years, children are interested in decision-making, which leads to mental independence.
- During adolescence, financial independence becomes the chief concern.
Naturally, after your child has learned a particular skill, it becomes a habit of everyday living. That’s why the following list of suggested responsibilities is cumulative.
Be sure to talk from time to time with your children about the chores they consider interesting and fun, and those they find boring and disagreeable. You might make a list together of jobs they’d like to try and jobs they want to avoid. The results may surprise you!
The jobs your children want might be harder and more time-consuming than the ones they hate. Why? Certain jobs seem more interesting and challenging. Maybe they involve real adult responsibilities. By allowing your children to try a challenging job, you give them the chance to feel the same pride and self-confidence we get from doing satisfying work.
What tasks fill the “Chores I Hate” column? Picking up dirty clothes, weeding the garden, making the bed, and taking out the garbage? They may be boring, but dull jobs are a part of life too. Point out positive results of your children’s assistance. : Bring down your laundry so you’ll have clean clothes tomorrow.” “If we finish the housework together on Saturday morning, we’ll have time to go swimming in the afternoon.” Nobody likes to work alone. By including one of your children in a task you have chosen, you are spending time together, which is much more fun for everyone! Remember to notice and praise your child’s completion of a job, even if he only does it occasionally at first.
Never expect a standard orderliness or cleanliness from your child that you would not demand of yourself. It is good to examine periodically your own standards. Make sure you don’t ask for the impossible! Provide the means required for your child to complete the job. For instance, putting toys on shelves is only possible if there is enough space on the shelves for all the toys. Try and avoid “The Toy Box Syndrome” of throwing everything into one box and closing the lid.
Keep your child’s schedule in mind when assessing chores. Make your system flexible enough to work around sports practices, music lessons and outdoor play. Don’t ask your child to do so many jobs he feels overwhelmed. Remember most children need to have tasks broken down into steps. “Clean your room” is ambiguous. What does it involve? Define your task together. Accept the fact that you will probably have to work alongside your child for the first few times if you want the job done your way.
I hope these tips help you and your family. I know if you implement some of them it will go a long way towards making their time here at CHMS BVI even more productive.
GOOD LUCK!
Fundraising Events
Working Towards Responsibility