C

hores can feel like drudgery—or they can become rehearsal spaces for cooperation. When families tackle a task together, from sorting a garage to planting a garden, children witness firsthand how roles, timing, and mutual support shape success. The question, “How can we divide this up?” turns routine work into a small team project, building coordination they’ll carry into school groups and service roles.

One weekend, our garage was in disarray—tools everywhere, no clear plan. I asked my son, “What’s a good way to tackle this together?” He proposed zones: one person sorting, another stacking, a third handling donations. The task moved faster, but more importantly, he felt ownership. Later, he led a garden planting at school, dividing tasks and reporting progress at a community meeting. That early garage plan was his first blueprint for leadership grounded in cooperation.

Choose one family task a week to approach as a shared mission. Invite your child to help assign roles or map out a process. Keep a teamwork notebook with sketches or chore breakdowns. Over time, these efforts will teach more than how to clean or plant—they’ll foster a mindset that sees group work as natural, effective, and rewarding.

TIPS

• Ask “What’s our plan?” to start coordinating.
• Praise their teamwork to value their effort.
• Keep a journal for their duties.
• Suggest weekly chore sessions.

ACTIVITIES

• Garage Sort: Organize a space, ask, “How can we organize this?” Work for 15 minutes.
• Garden Plant: Plan a garden, discuss duties, 20 minutes.