Dr Joanna Fortune, Psychotherapist and author, joined Drivetime to discuss why housework is an important learning opportunity for children. Listen back above.
We all grew up being hounded by our parents to clean our rooms, tidy away our toys and maybe even help with the garden here or there. While we scowled then, studies show that chores are a key part of growing up and should be encouraged in all families.
However, how much housework is the right amount, and when are children old enough to take on the responsibility? Crucially, is it healthy to bribe them into it?
Fortune notes that "the earlier that we start chores as part of our family life and our family structure, I think actually at least less amount of bribery or incentivisation you will have to do, and a much lesser amount of nagging.
"Because your children will have grown up with this idea that they are part of a system bigger than themselves and part of being in a family is that everybody helps out. That's really what gives them the sense of responsibility and independence, which are key tasks of growing up."
She added that as young as two to three years old is a good time to start, "because at that age they can certainly carry their own nappies and bags to the bin and throw them out, they can pick up their own toys, they can put them into a toy box".
Chores, Fortune said, should be practical, as this gives children a chance to practice independence. As they children get older, she recommends scaling up the tasks appropriately.
"I'm not saying turn them into little Cinderellas, now", she laughed, adding that this wouldn't interrupt play time, another key part of growing up.
"But if it's the time of day where you're going to be transitioning from play time towards winding down into bedtime, actually marking that and saying 'now it's time to tidy up and you're going to do this and I'm going to do that' is a nice way to count it down."
Chores shouldn't be kept just for bedtime, but spread out during the day. Parents should also be sure to thank their children for their help.
When it comes to older children, such as teenagers, should parents be paying them for doing housework?
Fortune said this is where many families turn to pocket money, structuring it around chores, which she says is fine. "But there should still be a couple of things – and a couple is enough – that they do not get paid for, because part of being in a family is everyone helps.
"You don't throw them a parade because they bring the bin out, because that's just part of helping out."
