Remember as a child learning basic life skills such as making the bed, cooking spaghetti, and loading the laundry? Sounds pretty basic, right? Although kids sometimes (always?) groan about having to do chores, parents know they are about more than just getting some help around the house. Kids need to learn these life skills, and chores are one way to do it. As a child, it might have felt excessive, but compared to being unable to care for one's self as an adult, it's really just basic survival.
Somewhere between Gen X and Gen Z, society decided kids should be overextended in full-time extracurricular activities, train for sports like they're going to the Olympics, and make TikTok videos like it's their jobs. Parents are scared to disappoint their children, and chores seem to be a thing of the past. But it's baffling how the same 7-year-old who can master social media can't water the plants or load the dishwasher. We need a happy medium. The life skills that follow are ones that all kids should — and can — do by the time they're 8.
More from CafeMom: TikTok Mom Says She Collects $250 a Month From Husband for Cleaning the House
Feed Pets
It sounds simple, but without proper guidance, how can a child know how to feed a pet? Be sure to show a child how much food and water to give a pet, where food should be put and when, and how often the pet needs food. Pro move: Put them in charge of dealing with poop!
Basic Laundry Chores
Start by showing them how to bring dirty clothes to the laundry room and how to properly fold and put away clothing. Once that's mastered, demonstrate how to sort laundry and how the washer and dryer work, including how much to load into the machine, how to measure detergent and softener, the importance of not leaving wet clothing in the washing machine, and checking and emptying the lint trap of the dryer between each load.
Dinner Prep & Cleanup
Maybe they’re too young to make Grandma’s famous lasagna recipe, but children can definitely help out in the kitchen. Kids should be able to set and clear the table before and after dinner and can do some basic food prep too, such as cleaning veggies or fruit.
More from CafeMom: Twin Brothers Rue The Day They Challenged Their 5-Year-Old Neighbor to a Bake-Off
Wash the Dishes
An 8-year-old should know the basics of how to load and unload the dishwasher, including putting dishes away and drying any that remain wet. They should understand how to wash and dry dishes by hand, too.
Safe Use of Basic Household Cleaners
While teaching children basic household chores, include how to use and handle household cleaners safely. Common sense should prevail, but kids were eating Tide Pods recently, so really make sure to talk about proper use of cleaners with children.
Basic Bathroom Cleanup
Even small children can help straighten up the bathroom after using it, including bringing hampers to the laundry room, picking up towels, and replacing the empty toilet paper roll. If they're a little older, teach them the basics of cleaning sinks, counters, floors, showers, and toilets. They can do it.
Simple Sewing Skills
Every kid needs to know how to repair small tears with a hand stich and how to reattach a button that has fallen off. Start with the basics, such as how to thread a needle, tie a knot, and sew a basic stitch.
Use of a Broom & Dustpan
Kids need to know the correct way to hold and sweep with a broom, as well how to use a dustpan and to empty it in a trash can. Without proper teaching, sweeping could make a bigger mess than it cleans up, so this skill is important to get right.
Easy Meal Preparation
Things adults take for granted, such as knowing how to read a recipe, measure ingredients, crack an egg, use the microwave, mix, stir, and cut with a dull knife, are all required to prep meals. All children needs to know how to prepare a simple meal and feed themselves without getting injured.
Grocery Shopping Process
When kids are young, parents can take them along to the grocery store to get them familiar with the process from the store shopping route to how to pick produce, paying attention to expiration dates, and how to pay. Another important basic step to know is how to write a grocery list in preparation for the trip.
Wrap a Gift
Professional gift wrapping skills are not expected, but even by age 8, a child should be able to put forth the effort to wrap a small gift or to put it in a gift bag, complete with tissue and bow. It’s also the right time to teach them how thoughts count and how to pick out simple gifts, as well as participate in writing invitations and thank-you cards for gifts or services received.
Use of a Hammer
A hammer can be a weapon of destruction to body and property if a child doesn't know how to handle it properly. Kids need to have an appropriately sized hammer and be taught how to hold and handle it. Teach them how to hammer a nail and to remove one.
Bedroom Cleaning
Kids need to know how to change their sheets every two weeks, make a bed, pick up toys and put them away, put laundry in a hamper, keep clutter under control, take dishes back to the kitchen, and empty the wastebasket. These are simple tasks that make a big difference in keeping a bedroom clean.
Basic First Aid Care
An 8-year-old can't be expected to know a lot of first aid, but even little children should know a few basics. Some of those include knowing what's an emergency, how to dial 911, and how to clean, disinfect, and bandage minor scrapes.
Map-Reading Skills
Living in a world where GPS is available readily on all smart phones, it would seem knowing how to read a map is obsolete, but that's a misconception. GPS can fail when a signal drops. Children should be taught how to read a map in case they are lost or GPS isn't working so they won't be stranded when in an unfamiliar area.
