Learning the value of hard work and how to make a meaningful contribution to your community are lessons that young children should absolutely learn.
So, when this woman made her son do chores, it was surprising that she came under fire for it.
Single mother Nikkole Paulun, who has a 7-year-old son named Lyle and a 1-year-old daughter named Ellie, posted pictures on Facebook of her son hard at work doing chores.
She explained: “I teach my son to cook & do household chores. Why? Because household work isn’t just for women. Because one day he might be a single man, living on his own, who will actually know how to do laundry & not eat take out every night. Because one day he might want to impress a significant other with a meal cooked by his own hands. Because one day when he has kids & a spouse, he’s going to need to do his fair share around the home. Because I live in a generation of people who complain that school didn’t teach us how to cook, do laundry, tie a tie, or pay taxes. Because teaching my son how to do these things and be a productive member of society both outside the home and inside, starts with ME. Because it’s okay to let your child be a child but still teach them lifelong lessons along the way. My son will never be too ‘manly’ to cook or do chores. He will be the kind of man who can come inside from changing a tire to check on his pot roast. Who can properly sort his laundry and mow the lawn too. Remember parents, a man who believes he shouldn’t have to cook or do chores was once a boy who was never taught any better.”
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Amazingly enough, some people had a problem with her young son doing chores, with one person noting that kids shouldn’t “be your slave” or “do the chores that you yourself don’t want to do.”
Seriously? Children can definitely gain a better work ethic and sense of pride by contributing to their households. Even very young kids can have easy tasks and then do more complicated chores as they get older. Learning to be responsible at a young age also helps kids when they grow up and live on their own.
Nikkole responded that she likes to do most of the chores and her son “just helps along the way and earns allowance as well.”
She also noted that her daughter will have chores when she is older too, such as typical “girl” tasks, like doing dishes, but also the stereotypical men’s chores, such as mowing the lawn.
Other commenters, however, praised the mom for introducing these life skills to her kids, with one writing: “Good job mama!! My boys (2 & 4) also do laundry, dishes, and help cook. I 100% agree.”
Nikkole later shared a photo of Lyle, beaming, with a book open to a page showing him doing chores. She wrote: “Lyle is in a book & he thinks it’s SO awesome haha! @lovewhatmatters chose our story about doing chores for their book. I was so surprised when the story went viral and now I can’t believe it’s in a book! Thank you to everyone who follows us & shares our stories!”
