The Brian Lehrer Show The Upside of Doing Chores
Jul 22, 2025
Christine Carrig, head of Carrig Montessori School and Substack writer, delves into how involving children in household chores can yield lifelong benefits. She emphasizes the importance of fostering responsibility and ownership through positive reinforcement. By modeling tasks, parents can promote essential life skills while engaging their children in collaborative work. Carrig shares insights on the developmental advantages of chores and discusses how to balance expectations across generations, ensuring that children feel empowered rather than overwhelmed.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Montessori Kids Thrive with Chores
- Christine Carrig shares how her Montessori preschoolers develop chore responsibility unlike her own kids initially did at home.
- She contrasts classroom culture versus home environment influencing children's eagerness to help.
Discouraging Kids Kills Helping Desire
- Children's willingness to help fades if repeatedly told "no" or if parents micromanage them.
- Bribes and chore charts often try to revive extinct helping behavior which can backfire.
Reengage Kids by Doing Together
- Reengage kids with chores by doing tasks together to capitalize on their social interest.
- Model chores alongside children before expecting them to do tasks independently.