On Teaching Kids' Responsibility and Building Self-Worth

     

Weekends are usually spent in the house with the family except for Saturdays where hubby is busy with his passion and for our future which is farming. And during these days, I have no 'housemates' with me because of their weekend class. Therefore, I'll be left manning the house and that includes cooking for 3 meals and spending time with my kiddos. 

Yesterday, I have an assistant cook. I'm no expert in this field but I have to because who else will do it? I have two kids to feed. Anyways, I was preparing the ingredients needed for my vegetable soup dish for lunch when suddenly my little girl stood right beside me standing on a plastic chair. At first, I was irritated because she was touching everything I prepared. At 3 years old, she knows the word cook and she wants to have an experience of it. She's been bugging me ever since to help especially if she sees me holding the magic sandok. And because I don't want her to get close to the fire, I gave her the task to pull off the malunggay leaves from its stem instead. Since I dislike that part, I gave her the authority to do it. Successfully, she managed to pull it all one by one without any side remarks, hahaha... And not yet satisfied with her cooking session, come dinner time, she did cut the string beans by her bare hands and NOT with a knife because it's dangerous. 

It dawned in me that I shouldn't deprive my children to experience activities that stimulate their senses and curiosity. Of course as parents, we have to choose and guide them on certain activities they can indulge in base on their age. Like our cooking bonding session, it was not good for me to shoo her away. But instead, let her participate on other things that I know she can carry on. Giving her the full responsibility to pull off the malunggay leaves from its stem or cut the string beans all by her self gave her the feeling of self-reliance and self-worth once her job is done. With this small gesture, as parents,we help them develop their own sense of fulfillment and boost their self-esteem. For example, once she's done, she proudly showed it to me her finished product with a smile. With that smile, there was a sense of fulfillment from her part. When I said my thank you, she lovingly embrace me back and taught her to say 'you're welcome'. Those simple and basic words like, 'thank you', 'I'm sorry', and 'you're welcome' are big enough to make a person feel valuable so I teach them those. I noticed too when I assigned her a task or ask her a favor, she lovingly do it with zest. Yes, I can now ask a favor from my 3-year-old daughter. No more worries. And to me, I feel accomplished because she cooperates with me.

Everything she did is with passion. Her sweating face and back says it all. It didn't hinder her from performing her task as my assistant. Her intention was pure and big. As long as her passion is there, I will lift her and keep her interest alive. I know when the time comes, when she becomes older, her interest will not be so much of me but of other more interesting things. From now on, I will not take my kid's curiosity for granted. Lest, feed her with the things that she ought to know and do. By giving kids simple responsibility which you think they may handle, they will eventually gain self-worth, self-confidence and trust.