Chores for Children

**Emerald_Mommy** · 10-13-2005, 03:20 PM

What chores do your kids have and how old are they?

Isabel is almost 4 and she helps pick up her toys & the baby's toys, helps set the table, and helps put her laundry away. Occasionally she helps "dust". She puts away the silverware from the dishwasher 3 times a week & collects the small trash cans on "trash night". She gets paid a small commission for the last 2 chores, so if she doesn't complete the jobs she doesn't get paid. (We don't give an allowance)

I'd like more ideas for what she could / should be doing at this age. She's a very willing helper but I want to strike the right balance with age appropriate work and expectations. TIA!

**canadian gardener** · 10-13-2005, 03:50 PM

One of the best books was written by a favourite organizing author and mother of lots, [ame="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312301472/qid=1129232412/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/104-1814717-0422350?v=glance&s=books"]Amazon.com: 401 Ways to Get Your Kids to Work at Home: Household tested and proven effective! Techniques, tips, tricks, and strategies on how to get your kids to share ... become self-reliant, responsible adults (9780312301477): Bonnie Runyan McCullough, Susan Walker Monson: Books[/ame]
401 Ways to Get Your Kids to Work at Home : Household tested and proven effective! Techniques, tips, tricks, and strategies on how to get your kids to ... become self-reliant, responsible adults (Paperback)
by Bonnie Runyan McCullough

She is a practical and wise woman and has some gentle and effective ways to develop kid's work habits thru chores. She has ideas about age appropriate guidelines.

I got it when we began homeschooling and appreciated the advice on motivation.

Kid's who do chores, and help out around the house have good self esteem based on feeling competant and a contributing member of the home, and society in general.

It's a great thing you are doing.

**forestdale** · 10-13-2005, 05:08 PM

I thought allocating chores to my boys when they were little, and I started doing this when they were 4, was very important. Like Margery said, I thought it was a great way of including them in the "workings" of the family and the nurturing of our home. I saw our family - DH, our 2 sons, the house and myself as a well oiled (usually) machine. We each had our role and we each played a part in making the machine work. We each saw the results of our efforts and it made us all proud of what we could do on a daily basis to make our lives better. Once the kids got into the swing of this routine, and they understood that their role was important, it worked really well. They weren't always perfect, neither were DH or I, but generally it worked. Starting when your kids are young teaches them the value of work, gives them a place of importance within the running structure of the family and builds self esteem like nothing else.

Isabel could look after pets, water plants, wipe the fronts of kitchen cupboards, set the table, help with the dishes and whatever else you think she can manage. Did you ask her what she wants to do? This may be a good guide, as long as you think she can do the task, allow her to.

**bevjean** · 10-13-2005, 05:10 PM

My 8 & 5 yr olds clean their room (which they share with a 2 yr old), take turns setting the table & wiping it down after dinner, pickup the living room, put up their own laundry. They also both help with the baby (getting diapers, drinks, snacks, keeping him away from me long enough to give me a few minutes to breathe)

Lucas (5) sometimes gets the trash from the bathrooms on trash day and waters the plants.

Alex (8) checks mail, feeds his fish, and sometimes helps with dishes (rinsing and putting in dishwasher or hand washing small loads), occasionally he takes light bags of trash to the dumpster. He gets a small allowance (usually $3.00/week). Sometimes when he wants to buy something he does other stuff to earn a few bucks (vacuuming, dusting, cleaning the bathroom, etc)

**Jerseygirl** · 10-13-2005, 05:47 PM

Mine are 3 1/2 and almost 5. They are resposible for picking up their toys, straightening their beds and their rooms, every Sat a.m. they dust the staircase and the living room (no spray, just dust cloth) they wipe down the fron t of my cabinets and fridge once a week. The oldest is also good with a dustpan and small broom, helping to clean up what the 2 of them spill. They take turns wiping down tables. They put away their own panties (no folding and they go in an easy access basket so I can send them for their own too) and make sure all of their dirty clothes go into the hamper, they hang their bath towels on their door knob for me to collect. What has helped me most are the little rules and routines-they know they have to pack their totes for school, hang up their towels, put shoes away etc. This helps keep things less manic, especially when I have additional kids in the house.

**Kimberlina** · 10-13-2005, 06:19 PM

We don't have any organized chores for DD, 2, yet, but she understands that she must help pick up one set of toys (for example, blocks) before she can get out another set (her Little People.) We also encourage her to help with anything else she can manage, modifying things so it is easier for her to help. When she was littler, we removed the silverware tray from the drawer so she could help put the flatware away. Now she is big enough that we can put it back and she can sort the forks and spoons into their own respective compartments. We hand her laundry to put into the dryer, ask her to help setting the table and loading/unloading the dishwasher. She truly CAN help with some things, and it gives her a sense of accomplishment.

**Missy** · 10-13-2005, 06:28 PM

Ds1 is 5 (almost 6) and he does:

Cleans his room
feeds the cat
dishes
vacuum (he is kinda posessive ver the vacuum, so we gave up fighting about it and let him do it)

DD is 3 1/2

cleans her room
takes out the bathroom trash (takes it to the kitchen)
helps me with laundry (switching over, handing me clothes pins etc)

Some people have told me that they do too much, but i think it is a kid by kid thing. DS is capable and desires to do chores. DD is hit or miss with alot of things, but she tries. I think it is important for them to understand that it takes a family to run a household, and that we all have our jobs to do to keep it running smoothly. DH wasn't raised to do chores regularly, he can't figure his way around a dishwasher or washing machine to save his life. I don't want my kids to have to rely on me to follow them around all their lives till marriage. I want them to be self sufficient. But i don't expect perfection out of them either, they are young, and of course they don't always do these things daily, nor to i force them to do them either.

**momof42003** · 10-13-2005, 09:59 PM

DD11
Unload and load dishwasher-sometimes twice a day depending on if she did not do them the day before...

Keep her room clean-she shares with her little sister (2yrs).

DS9
Garbage(all rooms)
Shake bathroom rugs
Clean livingroom
Bedroom clean

DSalmost8
Front and backyards..
Bedroom clean

DD2yrs
Pick up toys
Put away bath toys
Put tp away

DH made this list and I find it kind of unfair to oldest DS... He spent a lot of time as a middle child, has diabetes, and for the most part has the most jobs... I usually incorporate YDS in doing the diningroom, and ODD does other things for me... With or with out DH finding out.

**daddys3chicks** · 10-14-2005, 06:29 AM

DD 7 - unload dishwasher, take her clothes to laundry, put bookbag in correct spot and make sure it is ready for school the next day, shoes to shoe bucket, straighten room. Sometimes she vacuums and sweeps the kitchen floor.

DD 2 - help set the table, pick throw pillows off floor, take own plate to sink, pick up toys, make sure sippy cups get to the kitchen to get washed.

I need a chore list for DH!

**daddys3chicks** · 10-14-2005, 06:30 AM

Oh I forgot to add - I like to use these too:

http://alenkasprintables.com/chorechart.shtml

**ecgsmama** · 10-14-2005, 08:06 AM

http://alenkasprintables.com/chorechart.shtml [/B]

Great link! Thanks for sharing!

**AmyBoz** · 10-14-2005, 06:16 PM

Julia is 4 and 1/2 and she:

makes her bed in the morning
sets the table and clears the table
helps move laundry from the washer into the dryer
cleans up the playroom with Patrick, Daddy, and I before bed
holds the dustpan for me when I sweep
"dusts" the living room

These chores do NOT need to be done to perfection. The table is funny to look at some nights, but she doesn't know that. With age, it will get better. Her bed is all rumpled, but the covers are pulled up and her pillows are in place with dolly sitting atop. The dusting of the living room is when I'm vacuuming. She takes the feather duster and does a light dusting. It works fine for me.

Patrick is 1 and 1/2 and he "helps" with all of the clean-up stuff. If Julia is doing it, he wants in, so we let him help. Soon enough, he'll have some chores of his own.

**YankeeMom** · 10-14-2005, 09:07 PM

http://www.dltk-cards.com/chart/ Another chore chart link. Only this one you can customize w/ colors & characters your child(ren) like, and individual chores.

We don't do "allowances", however each child has the option to do a few "paid chores".

DD-13: washes the dinner dishes, folds & puts away her own clothes, keeps her room clean. She also has the option to get paid to clean the litter boxes ($1/box 2-3x/wk) and clean the common areas & both bathrooms upstairs ($10).

DD-11: puts away the clean dishes, takes the dogs out, feeds the cat, folds & puts away her own clothes, keeps her room clean. She also has the option to get paid to vacuum the downstairs ($1/each day, 3x/wk).

DS-7: sets & clears the table, feeds the dogs, keeps his room & toyroom clean. He also has the option to get paid for peeling the recycleable cans and sorting the rest of the recycleables ($2/each time, 1-2x/wk).

DS-4: helps to set the table, helps to feed the dogs, picks up his toys downstairs, helps clean his room & toyroom (the boys share). No paid chores.

**Scattymum** · 10-15-2005, 05:32 AM

Ciara is 6 but she has been doing *chores* for a while. She has a chore chart that she gets a sticker for each thing she does, at the end of the week if she gets enough stickers she picks out a treat..something small like a packet of sweets, a trip to the park etc.. everyday she makes her bed, picks up her toys, hoovers her room twice a week, puts her clothes away, puts dirty clothes in the basket, etc.. other chores she has which are on a basis of if she wants to do them are tidy Jamies room, empty dishwasher, load washing machine, load dryer, hepl me hang and sort clothes, bring wood in for the fire, with these jobs we give her a payment - just a few cent for each job to go in her money box, she uses this money to save up and buy herself a toy that she really wants..she doesnt get an allowance so if she wants anything extra she does jobs for it!

I find that *rewarding* her for having a full chore chart gives her great incentive

**pollypurebred39** · 02-27-2009, 02:14 PM

I believe that children should do chores, even boy children! My MIL never made my husband do a thing. I haven't made that mistake with my boys, they will never be able to play stupid like they are clueless in toilet cleaning and meal preparation.

My oldest
does dishes
takes out trash
brings the christmas decorations up and down the attic stairs
is supposed to keep his room clean and do his own laundry, I won't do those things for him.
cooks, but barely. Despite my best efforts he cooks only noodles, ramen, box mac-n-cheese.

My youngest
keeps his room tidy
helps do his laundry
helps cleaning the bathroom
sometimes helps with dishes, trash & sweeping the floors
He has developed wonderful cooking skills

They can never tell their wives they don't know how to clean something, I've made sure they have learned how to dust, mop & scrub. Our oldest may be only helpful in the cooking department with frozen dinners, but he knows how to do dishes & is good with kids(like my Dad!) Our youngest is a great creative cook & I hoping one day he will be great with kids too, I doubt it though. Looks like that will have to fall mainly on his wives shoulders. But I'm teaching him other things and maybe he'll be stellar at washing and folding diapers! One can only hope.