A mom posting under the username whocares_71 on Reddit’s r/GirlDinnerDiaries spoke of her decision to give her 2-year-old son household responsibilities. Her relatives questioned whether the toddler was too young for chores.
The parent, however, said her son only has three regular responsibilities: putting away his clothes, helping with laundry, picking up his toys twice a day, and helping unload the dishwasher.
The mother said her family's reaction surprised her and her husband. The mother said she grew up with no chores and felt she struggled to learn basic household tasks as an adult. Her husband was raised in a household where men were not typically expected to do cleaning.
“My husband and I are very happy with the structure we have with our son,” she wrote and added that relatives could “raise their own children their own way.” The mom said her son does not see these activities as work and simply enjoys participating in what his parents are doing.
“The kid probably doesn’t see it as chores and sees it as helping mommy,” one commenter wrote on Reddit. The mom agreed and explained that her son loves helping and that his father also participates in household cleaning. “He is just a part of the process!” she replied.
Another parent said their 3- and 5-year-old children also have household responsibilities: “I am not the maid and they need to learn how to care for themselves.” The original poster said that was exactly the lesson she wanted her children to learn. She also said that the family does the work together rather than assigning all responsibilities to one person.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says young children are naturally eager to help and that participating in simple household activities can teach life skills and cooperation. If the activity is safe and appropriate for the child, those moments can be games that can fuel their desire to help. Child Mind Institute similarly reports that chores can help children develop responsibility, confidence, and an understanding of how they contribute to a family or community.
It recommends breaking responsibilities into tasks rather than instructing children to “clean your room.”
The Reddit mom believes it is more about establishing a family routine. “I never thought of them as ‘chores’ till my mom was SHOCKED he was doing ‘chores’,” she wrote. “We never framed it as that. [The daily tasks to get done.] We all help as a family.”
One commenter joked that the parents might "accidentally raise an independent 8-year-old who does his own dishes and laundry."
This article is based on a post shared by u/whocares_71 in r/GirlDinnerDiaries on Reddit. The Daily Dot could not independently verify the details described, including the family's reactions or the poster's identity.
