A board-certified pediatrician and father-of-five has shared his ‘unexpected secret’ to raising ‘well-rounded’ kids.
Jonathan Williams, from Layton, Utah, recently went viral on TikTok after he revealed the ‘one, small thing’ that parents can implement in their children’s lives that he insists will make them more ’empathetic towards others’ and ultimately ‘happier’ when they grow into adulthood.
According to the doctor – who has racked up more than 533,000 followers for sharing ‘evidence-based parenting tips’ and advice on ‘children’s health’ – it all comes down to household chores.
He explained in the video, which has been viewed nearly one million times, that having your kids help out at home will give them a ‘sense of self-worth’ and prepare them for future ‘success.’
A board-certified pediatrician and father-of-five has shared his ‘unexpected secret’ to raising ‘well-rounded’ kids
Jonathan Williams, from Utah, revealed the ‘one, small thing’ that parents can implement in their children’s lives that he insists will make them more ’empathetic towards others’
According to the doctor – who has racked up more than 533,000 followers for sharing ‘evidence-based parenting tips’ – it all comes down to household chores (stock image)
He also pointed out that it forces youngsters to ‘see the needs of other people around them’ and ‘realize that they’re contributing to a larger ecosystem.’
He explained in the video, which has been viewed nearly one million times, that having your kids help out at home will give them a ‘sense of self-worth’ and prepare them for future ‘success’
‘Researchers have found that if you implement this one, small thing in your child’s life, they’re more likely to be happy as adults, they have more empathy towards other people, and they’re more successful in their careers,’ he began in the now-viral TikTok.
‘Here’s why: Having your children do chores gives them a sense of self-worth and it helps them realize that they’re contributing to a larger ecosystem.
‘They become more selfless, they become more willing and able to see the needs of other people around them.
‘Chores also strengthen family bonds with siblings and with parents. And chores help to instill a better work ethic which translates pretty well into school and career success.’
In the video, Dr. Williams credited a 75-year-old study from Harvard, known as the Grant Study, which followed a group of men since the late 1930s.
According to the Boston Globe, it found that ‘willingness and capacity to work in childhood – indicated by holding a part-time job, taking on household chores, or participating in school clubs or sports – was a better predictor of mental health in adulthood than was social class, family problems, and other factors.’
Dr. Williams jokingly concluded in his video: ‘My advice is to hand that child a toilet brush and just watch the college scholarships roll on in.’
He also pointed out that it forces youngsters to ‘see the needs of other people around them’ and ‘realize that they’re contributing to a larger ecosystem’
Dr. Williams jokingly concluded in his video: ‘My advice is to hand that child a toilet brush and just watch the college scholarships roll on in’
He spoke about the topic further to Today parents, explaining, ‘Kids that are expected to help out start to naturally see the needs of people around them, and become less self-centered’
Unfortunately, according to a 2014 survey of 1,000 American adults, only 28 per cent of parents said they give their kids chores.
The pediatrician and father-of-five – whose own children range from age five to 14 – also spoke about the topic further to Today parents, and he reiterated its importance.
‘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,’ he explained.
He told the outlet that it’s vital to give your kids tasks that will effect the entire home, and not just their own personal space.
‘When there’s a sense of “we’re all in this together” as a family, whatever that family looks like, there’s some real magic to it,’ he added.
‘It’s something parents can do for free that’s going to have obvious long-term benefits to their kid.’
If your child is complaining about having to help out, he said not to get discouraged because you’re certainly not alone.
He encouraged parents to try to make the chores fun by turning them into games, or having them do something that will make them feel more ‘grown up.’
‘Maybe when you’re putting away groceries together, you put away all of the blue stuff first or everything that feels cold,’ he suggested.
‘A lot of school-aged children crave responsibility and they want to do things that older kids and adults do so give them chores that will help them feel more grown up.’
However, he stressed the importance of assigning a chore that’s not too hard for them – because if it’s above their developmental level, it could backfire and have the opposite effects.
Many people flooded the comment section of Dr. William’s TikTok with their thoughts on the matter, and many agreed with him
‘We don’t want to overload kids,’ he said, before concluding, ‘Most people are doing better than they think … so I think parents can cut themselves some slack if they’re trying, because we’re all just doing the best we can.’
Many people flooded the comment section of Dr. William’s TikTok with their thoughts on the matter, and many agreed with him.
‘I never really did chores as a kid and now I struggle to keep on top of housework and feel like I don’t know how to clean a lot of things,’ one person wrote.
Someone else shared: ‘My daughter just got a full ride academic scholarship and she started cleaning toilets at six years old.’
Another parent added, ‘My daughter is 19 months and I try to involve her in ever chore with me around the house. She loves to help.’
‘This makes me feel like I’m winning a little because mine have been doing chores since they were little,’ read a fourth comment. ‘They earn their allowance this way.’
‘My kiddos have chores. I tell them: “How will they know how to clean as an adult if they don’t do it as a child?”‘ a different user said.
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