06/05/2026
Here is an interesting study..
Harvard conducted an 85-year study that revealed that children who do chores become more successful.
The Harvard Grant Study followed 724 participants through their entire lives. Work ethic, best developed through something very ordinary, like childhood chores, was a main predictor of adult happiness and success.
Here is the kicker - only 28% of kids today have regular responsibilities.
Chores…
Significantly improve working memory and impulse control. Exactly what my Littles with special needs need …focus on executive function skills!!
Chores build empathy and teamwork skills that can last a lifetime!
Frame household chores as family contributions ( everyone plays a role) and not individual burdens.
Effort matters more than perfection. My 5 year olds attempt at making his bed, and feeling good about his efforts, is far more impt than how it looks.
Summer time brings an excellent opportunity to give every child a meaningful way to contribute to family life.
For my kiddos, it is a short list of things to accomplish every morning before there is any screen time. Simple things…get dressed, make your bed, empty the dishwasher, wipe cupboards, fill every bathroom with toilet paper, read, work in a workbook, practice the piano.
Remember, it’s character formation in real time!
The investment of time and patience required to teach household responsibilities transforms not just our homes, but our children’s futures.
