As seen in the Dayton Daily News on April 25, 2014.
If you have a child, remember this: Every time you delegate a daily 15-minute task to your child, you gain one hour and 45-minutes a week for yourself.
I did the math. I have five children, which means I gain eight hours and 45 minutes a week by delegating daily tasks to them.
When my oldest daughter got her driver’s license, it opened up the possibility for her to take on different tasks. Tasks that would help prepare her for adulthood.
I came up with a new list of responsibilities for her to manage on her own. Equipped with a family car, my credit card, her own cash and insurance cards, she started taking care of her personal needs.
Doctor/dentist/orthodontist appointments: I phoned each of our doctor’s offices to make sure my daughter could go to routine appointments without a parent. When they approved, I gave them specific instructions regarding her medical care for her chart.
I also educated my daughter on how I would like things handled in my absence. For instance, she shouldn’t fill a prescription without discussing it with me first and call me if you have any concerns during the appointment.
Prescriptions: She started dropping off and picking up her own prescriptions.
While she was away at college and came down with strep throat, being responsible for her medical needs came in handy. When she found the clinic, handled the insurance, and filled her own prescription without my help, I was very proud of her.
Banking: She took on full responsibility of her bank account. This worried my husband at first, but we agreed we wanted her to learn how to manage her money before she moved out on her own.
Sports: All emails regarding practices and games went to her new email address so she could manage her own schedules and drive herself.
School supplies: She shopped for what she needed on her own.
Errands: She took over all the errands I normally did for her; such as, dry cleaning, returns to the post office and grocery store items she needed before my next shopping trip.
Personal care: She scheduled her own haircut appointments, bought her clothing and personal care items.
Family errands: When the need arose, she helped in family situations. For example, she helped with family grocery shopping, car oil changes and sibling rides to practices.
Fast-forward a few years. Three of my children now drive, and they all carry out these responsibilities. This not only saves me time but also gives them the opportunity to learn how to handle adult responsibilities with my guidance.
Delegating also gives you moments to be proud of your kids and lasting memories. I will never forget the first time my two teenage boys went grocery shopping. While carrying the bags in, they were all smiles. It was funny listening to their shopping experience. They had many people stop them and comment on what “big” boys they were. I’m sure they were a sight to see.
This quote by Melissa Harrison reminds me to let go where I can: “Your goal is not to be the center of their life forever, but to work yourself out of a job.”