Let Children Do Some Housework

在很多家庭里，父母把所有事情都帮孩子做好，孩子唯一的任务就是学习。

Zài (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) jiātíng (first tone, high and level) li, (neutral tone) fùmǔ (fourth tone, falling) bǎ (third tone, dipping) suǒyǒu (third tone, dipping) shìqing (fourth tone, falling) dōu (first tone, high and level) bāng (first tone, high and level) háizi (second tone, rising) zuò (fourth tone, falling) hǎo, (third tone, dipping) háizi (second tone, rising) wéiyī (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) rènwu (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) xuéxí. (second tone, rising)

In many families the parents do everything for their children, and the children’s only job is to study.

有的家长认为，孩子还小，做家务既浪费时间，又容易出错，不如把时间用在学习上。

Yǒude (third tone, dipping) jiāzhǎng (first tone, high and level) rènwéi, (fourth tone, falling) háizi (second tone, rising) hái (second tone, rising) xiǎo, (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) jiāwù (first tone, high and level) jì (fourth tone, falling) làngfèi (fourth tone, falling) shíjiān, (second tone, rising) yòu (fourth tone, falling) róngyì (second tone, rising) chūcuò, (first tone, high and level) bùrú (fourth tone, falling) bǎ (third tone, dipping) shíjiān (second tone, rising) yòng (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) xuéxí (second tone, rising) shang. (neutral tone)

Some parents believe children are still small, that housework both wastes time and invites mistakes, and that the time would be better spent studying.

我却认为，让孩子做一些适合他们的家务，对他们的成长有很大的好处。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) què (fourth tone, falling) rènwéi, (fourth tone, falling) ràng (fourth tone, falling) háizi (second tone, rising) zuò (fourth tone, falling) yìxiē (fourth tone, falling) shìhé (fourth tone, falling) tāmen (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) jiāwù, (first tone, high and level) duì (fourth tone, falling) tāmen (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) chéngzhǎng (second tone, rising) yǒu (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) dà (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) hǎochu. (third tone, dipping)

I believe, on the contrary, that letting children do housework suited to them does a great deal for their growth.

首先，做家务能让孩子学会负责。

Shǒuxiān, (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) jiāwù (first tone, high and level) néng (second tone, rising) ràng (fourth tone, falling) háizi (second tone, rising) xuéhuì (second tone, rising) fùzé. (fourth tone, falling)

First, housework teaches children to take responsibility.

如果一个孩子知道，每天晚饭以后洗碗是自己的事情，他不做，家里人第二天就没有干净的碗用，他就会明白，自己也是这个家的一部分，自己的行为会影响别人。

Rúguǒ (second tone, rising) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) háizi (second tone, rising) zhīdào, (first tone, high and level) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) wǎnfàn (third tone, dipping) yǐhòu (third tone, dipping) xǐ (third tone, dipping) wǎn (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shìqing, (fourth tone, falling) tā (first tone, high and level) bú (second tone, rising) zuò, (fourth tone, falling) jiālirén (first tone, high and level) dì (fourth tone, falling) èr (fourth tone, falling) tiān (first tone, high and level) jiù (fourth tone, falling) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) gānjìng (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) wǎn (third tone, dipping) yòng, (fourth tone, falling) tā (first tone, high and level) jiù (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling) míngbai, (second tone, rising) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) zhè (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) jiā (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) yí (second tone, rising) bùfen, (fourth tone, falling) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) xíngwéi (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) yǐngxiǎng (third tone, dipping) biéren. (second tone, rising)

If a child knows that washing up after dinner is their job — and that if they do not do it, nobody in the family will have a clean bowl the next day — they will understand that they are part of this family and that what they do affects other people.

这种负责的态度，将来在学习和工作中同样重要。

Zhè (fourth tone, falling) zhǒng (third tone, dipping) fùzé (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) tàidu, (fourth tone, falling) jiānglái (first tone, high and level) zài (fourth tone, falling) xuéxí (second tone, rising) hé (second tone, rising) gōngzuò (first tone, high and level) zhōng (first tone, high and level) tóngyàng (second tone, rising) zhòngyào. (fourth tone, falling)

That sense of responsibility will matter just as much in their studies and work later on.

其次，做家务能锻炼孩子解决问题的能力。

Qícì, (second tone, rising) zuò (fourth tone, falling) jiāwù (first tone, high and level) néng (second tone, rising) duànliàn (fourth tone, falling) háizi (second tone, rising) jiějué (third tone, dipping) wèntí (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) nénglì. (second tone, rising)

Second, housework trains children to solve problems.

衣服怎么洗才干净，买菜的时候怎样选择，钱不够了怎么办，这些都是书本上学不到的知识。

Yīfu (first tone, high and level) zěnme (third tone, dipping) xǐ (third tone, dipping) cái (second tone, rising) gānjìng, (first tone, high and level) mǎi (third tone, dipping) cài (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shíhou (second tone, rising) zěnyàng (third tone, dipping) xuǎnzé, (third tone, dipping) qián (second tone, rising) bú (second tone, rising) gòu (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) zěnme (third tone, dipping) bàn, (fourth tone, falling) zhèxiē (fourth tone, falling) dōu (first tone, high and level) shì (fourth tone, falling) shūběn (first tone, high and level) shang (neutral tone) xué (second tone, rising) bu (neutral tone) dào (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) zhīshi. (first tone, high and level)

How to wash clothes so they come clean, how to choose when buying vegetables, what to do when the money runs short — none of this can be learned from books.

一个从小就自己做事的孩子，遇到困难时往往不会着急，而是会主动想办法。

Yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) cóng (second tone, rising) xiǎo (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) zuò (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) háizi, (second tone, rising) yùdào (fourth tone, falling) kùnnan (fourth tone, falling) shí (second tone, rising) wǎngwǎng (third tone, dipping) bú (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) zháojí, (second tone, rising) ér (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling) zhǔdòng (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) bànfǎ. (fourth tone, falling)

A child who has done things for themselves from an early age tends not to panic when difficulties arise, but to look for a solution on their own initiative.

最后，做家务还能增加家人的交流。

Zuìhòu, (fourth tone, falling) zuò (fourth tone, falling) jiāwù (first tone, high and level) hái (second tone, rising) néng (second tone, rising) zēngjiā (first tone, high and level) jiārén (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) jiāoliú. (first tone, high and level)

Finally, housework also means more conversation within the family.

很多孩子平时不愿意跟父母说心里话，可是在一起洗菜、做饭的时候，却常常会主动说起学校里发生的事情。

Hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) háizi (second tone, rising) píngshí (second tone, rising) bú (second tone, rising) yuànyì (fourth tone, falling) gēn (first tone, high and level) fùmǔ (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) xīnli (first tone, high and level) huà, (fourth tone, falling) kěshì (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) yìqǐ (fourth tone, falling) xǐ (third tone, dipping) cài, (fourth tone, falling) zuòfàn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shíhou, (second tone, rising) què (fourth tone, falling) chángcháng (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) zhǔdòng (third tone, dipping) shuōqǐ (first tone, high and level) xuéxiào (second tone, rising) li (neutral tone) fāshēng (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) shìqing. (fourth tone, falling)

Many children do not usually want to tell their parents what is on their minds, yet while washing vegetables or cooking together they will often start talking about what happened at school.

父母和孩子一起做饭、打扫房间，一边做一边聊天，比坐在一起看电视更能拉近彼此的距离。

Fùmǔ (fourth tone, falling) hé (second tone, rising) háizi (second tone, rising) yìqǐ (fourth tone, falling) zuòfàn, (fourth tone, falling) dǎsǎo (third tone, dipping) fángjiān, (second tone, rising) yìbiān (fourth tone, falling) zuò (fourth tone, falling) yìbiān (fourth tone, falling) liáotiān, (second tone, rising) bǐ (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) yìqǐ (fourth tone, falling) kàn (fourth tone, falling) diànshì (fourth tone, falling) gèng (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) lājìn (first tone, high and level) bǐcǐ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) jùlí. (fourth tone, falling)

Parents and children cooking or tidying a room together, chatting as they work, grow closer than they would sitting side by side in front of the television.

当然，让孩子做家务也要注意方法。

Dāngrán, (first tone, high and level) ràng (fourth tone, falling) háizi (second tone, rising) zuò (fourth tone, falling) jiāwù (first tone, high and level) yě (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) zhùyì (fourth tone, falling) fāngfǎ. (first tone, high and level)

Of course, there is a right way to give children housework.

家务应该适合孩子的年龄，不能让他们做有危险的事情。

Jiāwù (first tone, high and level) yīnggāi (first tone, high and level) shìhé (fourth tone, falling) háizi (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) niánlíng, (second tone, rising) bù (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) ràng (fourth tone, falling) tāmen (first tone, high and level) zuò (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) wēixiǎn (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) shìqing. (fourth tone, falling)

The tasks should suit the child’s age; children must not be given anything dangerous.

孩子做得不好的时候，父母也不要批评，而应该多鼓励，告诉他们下次怎样做得更好。

Háizi (second tone, rising) zuò (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) bù (fourth tone, falling) hǎo (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) shíhou, (second tone, rising) fùmǔ (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) bú (second tone, rising) yào (fourth tone, falling) pīpíng, (first tone, high and level) ér (second tone, rising) yīnggāi (first tone, high and level) duō (first tone, high and level) gǔlì, (third tone, dipping) gàosu (fourth tone, falling) tāmen (first tone, high and level) xià (fourth tone, falling) cì (fourth tone, falling) zěnyàng (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) gèng (fourth tone, falling) hǎo. (third tone, dipping)

When children do a job badly, parents should not criticise but encourage, and tell them how to do it better next time.

有的父母担心孩子做得太慢，看了一会儿就忍不住自己去做了，这样孩子永远也学不会。

Yǒude (third tone, dipping) fùmǔ (fourth tone, falling) dānxīn (first tone, high and level) háizi (second tone, rising) zuò (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) tài (fourth tone, falling) màn, (fourth tone, falling) kàn (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) yíhuìr (second tone, rising) jiù (fourth tone, falling) rěn (third tone, dipping) bu (neutral tone) zhù (fourth tone, falling) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) qù (fourth tone, falling) zuò (fourth tone, falling) le, (neutral tone) zhèyàng (fourth tone, falling) háizi (second tone, rising) yǒngyuǎn (third tone, dipping) yě (third tone, dipping) xué (second tone, rising) bu (neutral tone) huì. (fourth tone, falling)

Some parents worry that the child is too slow and, after watching for a moment, cannot stop themselves taking over — and then the child never learns.

学习当然重要，但是学会照顾自己和别人，也是成长中不能缺少的一课。

Xuéxí (second tone, rising) dāngrán (first tone, high and level) zhòngyào, (fourth tone, falling) dànshì (fourth tone, falling) xuéhuì (second tone, rising) zhàogu (fourth tone, falling) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) hé (second tone, rising) biéren, (second tone, rising) yě (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) chéngzhǎng (second tone, rising) zhōng (first tone, high and level) bù (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) quēshǎo (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) yí (second tone, rising) kè. (fourth tone, falling)

Study matters, of course, but learning to look after yourself and others is a lesson no childhood should be without.