10 Things - 10 things it is worth teaching your kids to do properly

Some of these things may seem obvious, but I had an 'aha' moment when I realised I actually had to teach my kids these things. By knowing my kids can do this properly, it saves me soooo much time...

It is important for kids to know:

1. How to wipe their bottom properly - I have girls, things get messy if not done properly (Front to back from the back)
2. How to use a fork and knife - kids don't actually watch enough to learn how to work this out, this needs to be explicit
3. How to make a bed - sheets taut, quilt straight and flat, pillows up neat and teddies against pillows
4. How to tie shoe laces - whether you 'Loop, loop & swoop' or do the 'Bunny Ears' method, make sure you teach your kids to 'wiggle' the knot at the end to ensure that the knots stay tied
5. How to take out the rubbish and put it in the right bins - very handy to have little helpers to do this
6. How to tidy their room - this is actually quite a skill, putting things away in their PROPER place, not just quickly but correctly is so important to me. My kids are just starting to appreciate that being able to find things again next time helps them have maximum fun!
7. How to answer the telephone nicely - how cute to have a little girl answer the phone sweetly (I have not taught her how to respond to telemarketers, I just get her ask them their name and what they want over and over - works a treat!)
8. How to wash themselves properly - saves soooo much time - they wash themselves more thoroughly than I do sometimes
9. How to separate light coloured clothes from dark coloured clothes - we have a washing basket with two sections, one for lights and one for darks. My kids really like helping out in the laundry. They also love putting the washing in the machine and helping load detergent and push the buttons, it is going to pay off for me one of these days, I hope!
10. How to dry dishes - my kids are starting to love helping with dishes, without my persuasion at all - it is great! Doing dishes together has turned into a fun family time - I really ham it up and make the kitchen THE place to be