4 Homekeeping Skills Every Girl (and Boy) Should Know

Mrs. Lorrie Flem Copyright 2007 TEACHmagazine.com There are just some skills that every girl needs to know in order to run her own (or help you with yours!) home. These are some of the first I made sure my 3 girls knew. 1. Salad making We eat a salad as a part of dinner nearly every night. It is truly a help to me if others can keep this fresh and filled. I teach them how to wash and cut leaf lettuce and spinach with a table knife. I make sure they understand which vegtables are to be peeled, and seeded, and how I like them cut for the salad. I enjoy teaching them that we make a salad look delicious by using a variety of colors. When they get to wear their own sweet little apron it makes salad making even more fun. 2. Running a load of laundry In my home a "load of laundry" encompasses all the steps to get one load out and a new one in. I make sure they know how to fold, and put away the clean clothes from the dryer. I also show them how to properly sort the clothes, appropriately use soap and treat dirty spots, and run and empty the clothes from the machine and into the dryer. That is a "load" of laundry - one load out and put away and a new one drying and washing. 3. Serving tea My children learn how to make a cup of tea when they are about 4 years old. This might have something to do with the fact that nearly every morning you will find me consuming a couple of cups. I want them to know how to serve it from using an appropriate cup all the way to asking them if they would like their cup freshened. You can reward them with their own special china tea set too. 4. Cleaning up the kitchen I like them to understand that if they use the kitchen for preparing food and eating that after they are done I don't want mself or Sherlock Holmes to be able to tell they have been there. I teach them that this is "clean." Make sure your children know these things. It will be a blessing to you now, and to them for the rest of their lives!