Julie Lythcott-Haims, former dean of freshmen at Stanford University and author of How to Raise an Adult says that, “By making them do chores — taking out the garbage, doing their own laundry — they realize they have to do the work of life in order to be part of life.”
Lythcott-Haims has given TED Talks on her research and shared her findings which were based on a Harvard Grant Study – the longest-running longitudinal one ever conducted. Letting the kids off household chores stops them from learning the important lesson that there is work to be done and that we must all contribute so as to better ourselves as well as to contribute to the family dynamic.
This is something that Lythcott-Haims strongly believes, and that the children who grow up helping around the house will take with them specific skills for their future – such as more sympathy towards others, both in their home and professional lives. Chore-doing kids will become better employees who can work well as part of a team. So instead of making the dinner, as well as clearing it up afterward, make sure your pleas for help in the kitchen are taken seriously and enjoy more free time after dinner.