This teaches them how to differentiate food items, brands and also gives you a good opportunity to teach them about prices. This allows you to show them the importance of managing money and what the “real” cost is to the family in terms of food and materials purchases. Additionally, it allows you to instill in them how to spend wisely – why junk food might be a short term fix, but food for the long term that his healthy is a better choice.

8. Let the kids assist in major household chores – Allow them to choose the colors in a room you are painting or let them pick out the colors for a window curtain – always give them options, including the one that you prefer – children tend to have very active imaginations – keep your options open.

When doing the task, let them help – let them paint or hand you tools – be your “assistant.” This not only gives the child an education in what goes into those routine home maintenance tasks, it also allows the child to feel like an important part of the project.

9. One week a month, let the children pick their own tasks and also assign you tasks for the week – Beware, children are not dumb and at first, this is a way to let them blow off some steam – so get ready to clean the cat box, do the dishes and scrub the bathroom. By showing them, however, that you do it and to it willingly, you are teaching them that even tasks that are not fun are important and able to be done with a good attitude.

10. Let the children help you pay the bills – This will teach them the value of the dollar, how utilities go into managing the family and will allow them to get a better understanding of the work you put into managing the family. It also gives them a sense of importance and responsibility and instills in them the process of paying bills and living up to “adult” routines.

Conclusion

If you make this process fun and always engage the children, teaching them how to do household chores can not only alleviate your work load, it also will allow you to give them tools they will use for the rest of their lives. One day, they will have houses of their own to maintain and what they learn at a young age will allow them to keep up with managing their own affairs. Most importantly, it will show them how discipline makes for a more rewarding and livable life. Plus, you will not have to prove you are Superwoman. As for the husband/boyfriend, he will learn how to help you and provide you with the support you need to balance life, family and work… that is, when he is not out in the garage, staring at the engine block.