In this inspiring TEDx talk, 10-year-old USA-based speaker Ryuzo Kumei shares a surprising message: chores aren’t just boring tasks — they are the foundation of life skills. Drawing from his own experience growing up in a family where “chores first, homework later” was the rule, Ryuzo explores how simple household duties teach decision-making, confidence, and kindness. Through heartfelt stories and a touch of humor, Ryuzo explains: How chores teach critical thinking and problem-solving by encouraging kids to find smarter ways to work.Why being appreciated for small contributions builds real self-confidence.How everyday tasks foster a natural sense of empathy and responsibility toward others.He also challenges parents to rethink common habits that might unintentionally block their children’s growth — like constantly waking them up, fixing their mistakes, or focusing too much on grades. Instead, Ryuzo offers a simple but powerful call to action: Trust your kids. Let them experience failure. Appreciate their efforts. And let them do chores! By giving children these opportunities, we raise a generation that can make decisions independently, care deeply, and thrive with real-world skills. Join Ryuzo as he shows us that the road to leadership, resilience, and kindness starts at home — one chore at a time. My journey began with a simple question in high school: “How many of you have done laundry before?” Majority not responding shocked me. From this, I founded Kumei Academy, a program empowering children with life skills through household chores. As a founder of Nigiyaka LLC., I’ve seen firsthand how chores create opportunities to say “thank you”, which build confidence, foster independence, and strengthen family bonds. My work has taken me to schools, municipalities, and national conferences (including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ WAW! and the Cabinet Office’s National Conference on Gender Equality), sharing the transformative power of household chores. Keio University Law graduate, recently joined DeNA. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx