The Case Against Chores

Do children, at some point, need to be introduced to chores? This question has haunted parents for many generations. The burden to cohere children into working is one that the majority of American families wrestle with on a daily basis. Regardless of the negative results: can affect the way children feel about education, can cause bitterness, anger, and discord between siblings, to name a few, parents have practiced assigning chores forever and a day. Some families feel to not assign chores to children is a major problem. I argue that the benefits of assigning chores to children are over-rated, and that there are other ways to make a household run effectively. I also feel that children should be able to live a free life without being provoked to do chores.

One of the main results of assigning chores, I feel, is that if a parent pays the child for chores, the child will think a small amount of money is easily earned, and working to earn money early in life is better than completing your education in order to earn a higher paying job; therefore, the child’s educational journey may be interrupted (drop out of high school), because the child wants money now, and he or she is not accustomed to earning a “real” salary that pays much more than minimum wages or chore money, because he has been given money for chores for most of his life.

The claim made for the purpose of chores is that it helps you learn, “Whether we like it or not, household chores are a necessary part of everyday life, ensuring that our homes continue to run efficiently, and that our living environments remain organized and clean, thereby promoting good overall health and safety.” (Desdin 2012). There are other ways that children can learn to assist in helping our homes run efficiently and chores do not have to be a part of that process. Another reason this arthur listed for assigning chores is that it makes the child more responsible, “Having responsibilities like chores provides one with a sense of both purpose and accomplishment.” (Desdin 2012). Parents can demonstrate responsibility by precept and example.

There are parents who tend to go too far with assigning chores. Instead of demonstrating to their children how to work and enjoy the journey, they pile the work on the child and even come close to breaking the child-labor laws. The children end-up doing too many chores, which takes hours to complete, and this can, and does interfere with their studies, and can affect the education learning process. When a child is engulfed with chores, this can send mix signals to the child as to whether or not the parent has love for the child or not, They may feel that they are the “Cinderella,” of the family. This can cause the child to feel alienation for the parent. The child can begin to think that he or she was born to be the house maid and think any chore assigned is assigned because the parent just does not want to do the dirty work (take trash out, clean toilets, etc…), themselves; therefore, the child will half do the job, and develop bitterness, or anger toward the parent.

Paul says “And ye fathers do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph.6:4, NKJV). This anger can spread over into the classroom, and when the teacher asks the child to perform an effortless task, the child will have antipathy for the teacher. Although, the chore the teacher presented was easy, the child has developed a phobia concerning chores from being bomb-barded with chores so often at home; therefore, he or she might not appreciate being told to do simple chores such as erase the chalk board, or collect books for the Library. There is also the argument that chores helps to maintain the unity of the family. The belief of this rationale is that by doing chores, the child can appreciate the togetherness of all the family working together. This makes the child feel needed.

However, most times when families are supposed to be working together, there is always one sibling who drops the bucket, so to speak, and somehow weasel out of their portion of the chores and unfairly leaves the more responsible sibling doing the majority of the work. How fair is that? That is not fair at all. What is fair is that, if chores are assigned to multiple siblings, mom and dad supervise the chores until the task is completed from start to finish making sure that both sibling are doing their share. And there goes the rationale of the appreciation of family working together. Also, when parents disregard a brother or sister skipping out on doing his equal share of chores, this can cause the opposing sibling-the one who got stuck with all the assigned chores, to think that the parents are playing favoritism. MacArthur states, “Favoritism by parents generally leads to favoritism among the children themselves, who pick up the practice from their parents.

They will favor one brother or sister over the others and will often favor one parent over the other.” (MacArthur n.d.). I am so glad that when I was a child, my parents did not use the word chores to us. They simply showed us how a job should be done by precept and example. My eldest sisters were awakened early in the mornings to assist in cooking. I was not, because I was too young, and that made me yearn to learn to cook. Now I’m told I am a very good cook, and I adore doing it. And oftentimes I find myself going beyond my share of duty in the kitchen even down to the cleaning and arranging of the dishes in cupboards. Working was part of my desire at an early age. And I believe the way my parents presented chores play a part. At age ten, I started working at the corner store after school selling candy, and cookies to the children in the neighborhood for a couple of hours.

Fast forward to adulthood. After giving birth, I would joyously give each child five-years of motherly nourishment, and hurry and go back to the work world. Again, this may be because my mother’s love was knitted into the quilt of my life more than making sure I performed chores. I am amazed at how my other siblings feel the same way about chores and have turned-out very well. They do not demand them of their family. I noticed that my brother, after building his own home, landscaping his own yard, still never expect his daughter, nor his wife, for that matter, to do chores. He loves working nine to five, doing most of the cleaning, and the majority of the cooking.

Chores are not necessarily the best method for teaching a child the facts of life. They do not need to be cohered into doing extra work. However, parents can consider not using the “C” word at all, but instead comment on many of the good things the child does (his good grades). . This boost the child’s morale and make the child want to do more. If a child is made to feel that his potentials are found only in chores lorded on him by parents, then when he is older he may settle for chore like jobs and not choose to further his education. Chores can produce negative results that can follow the child for his entire life.

Bibliography
Desdin, Brenda K. 10 Benefits of Chores . October 24, 2012. (accessed January 26, 2014). MacArthur, John. Grace To You. n.d. http://www.gty.org/resources/articles/a 325/wg (accessed January 26, 2014).

Outline
I.Purpose of Chores
A. Educational Concerns
B. Unfair Chores
C. Chores Causes Alienation
II.Family Involvement With Chores
A. Non-Appreciation of Other Siblings
B. Favoritism in Chores
C. Do Not Use The “C” word
Conclusion

Thesis Statement
Do children, at some point, need to be introduced to chores? This question has haunted parents for many generations. The burden to cohere children into working is one that the majority of American families wrestle with on a daily basis. Regardless of the negative results: can affect the way children feel about education, can cause bitterness, anger, and discord between siblings, to name a few, parents have practiced assigning chores forever and a day. Some families feel to not assign chores to children is a major problem. I argue that the benefits of assigning chores to children are over-rated, and that there are other ways to make a household run effectively. I also feel that children should be able to live a free life without being provoked to do chores.