Parenting with Purpose
Jody Lee Cates
It’s no secret that learning essential
life skills benefits kids. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology, children who are responsible for age-appropriate tasks exhibit higher self-esteem and are better equipped to deal with frustration, adversity and delayed gratification. But there’s another bonus for parents and caregivers who teach and intentionally include children in the necessary tasks of daily life. Whether it’s making a bed, preparing a meal or feeding a pet, contributing to family life creates a sense of belonging that strengthens family bonds and teaches kids a critical key to success: how to care for themselves and others. Discover the unexpected impact of teaching kids to care through essential life skills. Create a caring culture. Thinking of life skills as ways to care for one another helps children understand why tasks are important, the benefits of doing them, and how their contributions matter. Richard Rende, a developmental psychologist and author of Raising CanDo Kids, encourages parents to think of daily family tasks as an opportunity to create a caring culture at home. “Talking about chores as caretaking activities—ways in which every family member helps take care of each other, as opposed to drudgery—sets a family climate that encourages kids to follow their instincts to help.”
Teaching Kids to Care
The unexpected power of essential life skills
This is part one of a two-part series. Pick up the November issue to learn how teaching kids to care has a ripple effect on family and community.
22 • SanDiegofamily.com • October 2023
Give kids real-life practice. Having real-life opportunities to practice life skills sends a powerful message. It tells kids that parents believe they are capable and offers them a chance to feel a sense of competence and accomplishment. “We want our daughters to be capable team members in our family,” says Cardiff mom, Carrie Barrett. “Even at young ages, they are proving that they are more than capable and willing.” Barrett created a chart of new skills for her three girls (ages 4, 5 and 7) to learn before school started. “We wanted to use the summer as an opportunity to