Hello, I am 20 years old and a young parent myself. I have to admit that I haven’t been very good at learning some of the basic things in life, like washing my face, legs, and feet. My parents never taught me these things when I was young. Furthermore, I was never taught how to cook or clean. There are so many things that my parents didn’t teach me, and I’m really grateful that my wife has been helping me learn as I come to understand that I don’t know certain things. It makes me feel a bit ashamed, but I really want to learn. So, please teach your kids how to bathe and live.
It’s so important to learn regular household skills early on. My parents never taught me to do laundry, so even though I’ve been doing my own for decades, I still get a little anxious when I do, and often ask my wife to double-check before I start any loads.
I always get my preschool-aged kid to help (or just “help”) around the house whenever possible. If the prospect of helping Mom or Dad isn’t enough or if they’re especially helpful, I’ll occasionally throw in a small monetary reward (max of $3 for now). I try to remain as hands-off as possible in those moments, stepping in only as necessary to correct mistakes or do tasks too big for a little one. They’re still too young to do most chores solo, but they’ve developed enough confidence in things like cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, etc. that I’m certain they’ll have no issues when they’re of age.