Most parents want their kids to grow up to be happy and successful adults and it turns out, the way to do that may be pretty simple. According to Dr. Williams, a board-certified pediatrician in Utah and father of five, the “unexpected secret” to raising happy kids who grow into successful grown-ups comes down to one thing: chores.
He explains that the idea is that when kids feel involved in shared responsibilities, they realize that they’re contributing to something bigger and they get a sense of self-worth from that. As a result, children become more willing to help others. “Kids that are expected to help out around the house start to naturally see the needs of people around them, and they become less self-centered,” Williams says.
Research backs him up on this, as he points to the findings of the longest longitudinal study in history, which is from Harvard and shows that people who did more chores at a younger age often had more professional success and happiness later in life. Helping kids develop a better work ethic at a young age will translate to school and career success, according to Williams, who adds, “It’s something parents can do for free that’s going to have obvious long-term benefits to their kids.”