"I teach my son to cook and do household chores," starts Nikkole Paulun, a past cast member of MTV's 16 and Pregnant, in a post to Facebook about her 6-year-old son, Lyle. Her post seeks to not only share what Lyle is capable of — like cooking and laundry — but to remind parents that teaching children to become independent, productive members of society starts at home.
Her reasons for teaching Lyle to cook and clean at a young age are hard to argue with:
Because household work isn't just for women. Because one day he might be a single man, living on his own, who will actually know how to do laundry and not eat takeout every night. Because one day he might want to impress a significant other with a meal cooked by his own hands. Because one day when he has kids and a spouse, he's going to need to do his fair share around the home. Because I live in a generation of people who complain that school didn't teach us how to cook, do laundry, tie a tie, or pay taxes. Because teaching my son how to do these things and be a productive member of society both outside the home and inside, starts with ME. Because it's okay to let your child be a child but still teach them lifelong lessons along the way.
"My son will never be too 'manly' to cook or do chores," Paulun says. "Remember parents, a man who believes he shouldn't have to cook or do chores was once a boy who was never taught any better."