How to Get Kids to Do Chores: Does the Maya Method Work?

The problem is that most parents don't want to (or can't) invest the time and effort into teaching their kids how to do household tasks. When your children are young it's easier to just to tasks yourself than to try and get your children to do it, they'll break things and make mistakes in the course of learning. But that's how you learn. I had to cook dinner once a week from the age of around 12. Sure my parents…

I think this boils down to one single rule: Kids are wired to want to learn things. Learning is fun, because play is semi-structured learning. You can see this in other species too, where pups and kittens play at hunting and fighting, and it comes with a number of important corollaries. First one is that a major part of this learning experience is emotional, not just technical. You’re not just teaching your child to wash the dishes, you’re also teaching…

It reads like NPR is just rehashing Montessori at home and calling it Maya. Maybe there should be a term for cooperative engagement with children in ways similar to what Dr. Montessori documented without calling it "Montessori." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_education The Montessori method of education is a system of education for young children that seeks to develop natural interests and activities rather than use formal teaching methods. It was developed by physician Maria Montessori. It emphasizes…