Little Precious

Assalamualaikum wbt..

I would like to share something for you all today. Like we always said sharing is caring. Everyone so busy in their daily schedules. Right? As a parent, I think I'm worried about my son. And how to raise them to be a good sons in future.

I'm getting excited when I read this article in http://parenthots.com/features/Little-helpers-at-home.aspx.

                                                                Little helpers at home   

Sharon Moses involves her two daughters in household chores to instil a sense of responsibility.

By SHEELA CHANDRAN



Getting children to do their chores is no walk in the park, but persistence does pay off. Homemaker Sharon Rani Moses can now beam proudly as her two daughters, Rebecca Ashley and Rachel Marie, help her collect clothes from the clothesline. The girls, aged seven and eight, also tidy up their room, clean up after meals and help take care of their 23-month-old younger sister Ramona Grace.

“Teaching my girls was and is not easy. There will be bloopers and blunders along the way. When it came to washing the dishes, the girls used to do it haphazardly, leaving behind traces of dirt and soap suds. Although it was a chore to re-wash the dishes, I would praise them for their effort. I would later point out their mistakes and encourage them to be more responsible and hygienic.

“It takes lots of patience, persistence and consistency. Kids need a lot of encouragement and a pat on the back. Rachel always asks me: ‘Mummy, are you proud that I can wash the plates?’ and I will praise her and she will feel proud,” says Moses, 37, who lives in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Dr Calvin Fernandez believes that helping out at home is important in his daughters’ development.

Moses and her husband Dr Calvin Fernandez believe in encouraging their daughters to help with household chores because it teaches them to be independent and good problem-solvers.

“Chores require thinking, remembering, problem-solving and proper execution. For instance, by teaching my girls to wash their water tumblers, they pay extra attention to the mouth piece which needs to be cleaned with a bottle brush. This teaches them attention to detail and hygiene,” says Moses.



It is also a good way to teach them about responsibilities.



“The younger, the better. My toddler Ramona knows that the soiled diapers go into the bin, and she puts away her toys at the end of the day. We clap our hands, applauding her effort and she loves it.

“Rachel helps me prepare baby’s juice and Rebecca is still learning how to change diapers,” shares Moses, an accounting and finance graduate who opted to be a stay-at-home mum and home tutor.

Amelia Lim teaches her son Zachery how to pack up his school bag.

Amelia Lim Hsi-hsin, 34, has seen the benefits of training her only child, Zachery Sijun Krishnan, to dhousework since he was only two years old. The seven-year-old boy is now able to tidy up independently and help with daily chores.



“Besides discipline, kids also need order and structure in their daily lives. Without this, they will do whatever they want, whenever they want. Now that Zachery is older, he helps to clear up his toys after every play session, pack up after his music practice and takes his plate to the sink after meals. Initially, Zachery used to ask why, but over time, he has learnt to help out.



“His reward is he gets to play with his iPad or watch TV,” says Lim, a regional brand manager based in Petaling Jaya.



Studies show that parents can make a huge impact on their children’s future by getting them to help out with chores. By assigning tasks to children, parents teach their children a sense of responsibility, competence, self-reliance and self-worth that stay with them throughout their lives.

Sonia Johan relies on her eldest son Mohd Emile (left) to help care for with the younger boys.

Housewife Sonia Johan has five sons, including two-year-old twins Aiden Ariff Shah and Ian Nazrin Shah. She observes that her eldest son Mohd Emile, 13, has blossomed into a reliable teenager since he started helping out around the house.



“When Emile was the only child, it took a fair bit of coaxing to get him to help with chores. But when his brothers came along, he took on the role as the responsible and protective older brother. Emile is my ‘little saviour’ who helps out with chores and caring for his twin brothers. Thankfully, my other sons – Noah Nazran, five, and Ryan Emir, three – have followed in Emile’s footsteps,” says Sonia, a law graduate who quit her job to take care of her children.



Sonia adds that parents should have patience when encouraging kids to help around the house. “I’ve learnt that patience is a virtue. Instead of nagging or yelling, talk to them nicely and help them understand the importance of team work,” says Sonia, 40.



Clean up, everybody clean up



Besides parents, daycare centres, kindergartens and nurseries also play a vital role in sowing the seeds of independence and discipline in children.



Jacquita Gonzales – principal of PJ-based kindergarten-cum-daycare centre Oranges and Lemons that cares for children aged between three months and 16 years – says it’s important to instil positive qualities in children while parents are away at work.



“Daycare centres and kindergartens are like homes away from home. We work in a partnership with parents to teach children good values. At our centre, we have a routine where kids are taught basic living skills such as keeping tidy, good manners, independence and discipline. Children are good observers so we need to be positive role models,” says Gonzales, 49.



She says that children tend to have different temperaments at home and at the centre. At the centre, children are more helpful and co-operative whereas at home, they tend to be stubborn and unwilling to help with chores.



“No two children are alike. There are the rough and tough ones and the timid ones. When dealing with each of these different characters we must also consider how not to affect their self-esteem.



“Children see and children do. When they observe a friend doing something, they would likely follow their peers. Tidying up can be done in a fun way so that it becomes a game.”



She adds that consistent enforcement of rules, giving clear and calm instructions and establishing firm rules are important in disciplining children.



“A child’s behaviour may become erratic if they don’t adhere to rules. By understanding a child’s developmental patterns, parents will be able to meet the needs of their developing child. But parents must know that it is normal for children to have negative moods, strong self-will and emotional outbursts so they should not stress out but keep calm, as parenting is a challenging adventure.”


~~~ Bagus kan..ada masa bace lah..Untung boleh guide anak untuk jadi rajin buat kerja...Boboy pun dah kena train dekat bapak dia. Fuh, bapaknya jangan cakap. Memang tahap rajin giler. Kadang-kadang aku pun di bebelnya kalau nampak barang aku bersepah..huhuhu..Tak kisah, sebab confirm rumah aku sentiasa kemas...