My sister has two daughters -9 year old Tasha and 6 year old Jessie. Now, you must be knowing one or two of those crazy aunts who are always so obsessed with their nieces or nephews, right? Well, one of those aunts is me.
Before I had Kitty, I was mad crazy about my nieces, hanging out with them almost every other day and buying them all the forbiddens –chips, sausages, chocolates, sweets, icecream etcetera etcetera. Despite my sisters’ protests against me doing so, I never quite understood her rationale. But now I do. Totally. Sometimes it takes experience to teach you some of these things.
Anyways, I still interact a lot with my nieces, but not as much as I used to. I love my nieces very much, and I love their impressive mannerisms even more.
Take for example the other weekend when my sister and her girls passed by ours for a visit.
The girls, when finished eating, cleared the table and the older one –Tasha immediately began cleaning and rinsing the dishes. No one had asked her to do so. Meanwhile, her little sister was cleaning the table and trying to arrange the tables and stools that had been used for our meals. And after cleaning up, both girls swept and mopped the kitchen floor, ensuring that they left it sparkling clean.
Okay, I know we used to help around a lot when we were kids as it was expected of us by our parents. But there’s something about kids of today that makes me think that these things don’t happen much anymore. I hear tales of kids who come home from school and drop their bags on the floor, littering the living room with their socks and sweaters and expecting the housegirl to pick up after them. I also hear there are some girls growing up believing that housegirls are supposed to wash their inner wear –they just remove their jeans and panties and throw them inside the laundry basket. I know of kids who basically don’t undertake any chores in the house and expect everything to be done for them. And if they do anything, they have to be bribed to do so. And the task that you’re asking them to do is to spread their OWN beds or to clean their OWN room! I wonder what happens to such kids when they grow up and get into their own homes and build their own families.
Reminds me of this Nigerian proverb that says: “It is the habit that a child forms at home, that follows them to their marriage.”
Well, that is why I was impressed by my nieces. Ofcourse they weren’t required to do so, but they just did so out of their own volition. I know there are many other kids who help around when they go visiting, and in this day and age, I think that is quite something.
As for me, I don’t know what the secret to raising well-behaved kids is, but I know I’ll certainly do my best with Kitty. His father and I hope to raise him to be a responsible and well-mannered young man. So I wonder, what chores can boys help around with when they come visiting? Help open the soda bottles maybe?
No seriously, somebody tell me how boys can help when they visit.
My suggestion is, help with the shopping bags and get up when your lady friends walk into the living area instead of just greeting them while still sitting down. Even helping with the dishes is still appropriate for boys to do it’s even better when you go visiting to your friend’s house.
Barbie those are good ideas, thanks. Will sure apply them.
Wow, Maryann am impressed by those young girls. Kudos to your sis. Please ask her to give you the tips so we learn from her n bring up our girls in such a responsible way. As for boys, am bila idea, I guess at a younger age they can perform same chores as girls ……
Awesome post mummy tales! Kudos to your sis and kudos to you for being a great aunty. Its sad to see some of these ill mannered kids. Honestly, I don’t know what generation we are raising. I was at a family event this past weekend and was amazed to see my grown niece-in-laws seated like guests getting served and not even bothered if their own parents or aunts and uncles were served. The same young women did not clear their own plates but placed them in a pile on the floor under their seats. Well, most of them can not find or keep husbands. We are certainly doing our kids an injustice if we do not teach them responsibility and good manners. Well, boys can be just as helpful as girls. The key is to give them chores appropriate to their age. When visiting for example, 2 – 4 yr olds can help put napkins and cutlery on the table, put away coats and bags. 4 – 7 yr olds can help set the table, help clear the table and wipe up messes. 8 – 10 yr olds can help wash up, sweep and mop, serve guests drinks and snacks, help prepare meals. 11 yrs and older can help welcome guests, take drink orders and serve, prepare a dish, help serve food. Any boy above 6yrs can also help wash a car, sweep the yard, open the gate for guests and take out garbage.
Oh wao Mama Azizi! That is so very helpful, especially how you’ve broken down the ages. I propose that you start an etiquette school or something. But I agree, we need to raise a responsible generation and it’s never too early to start teaching our kids the values of such.
@Dorcas I hope Mama Azizi has helped shed light on boy chores.