Kid's Chores

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Many people may wonder what chores other people's kids do, or what is appropriate for certain ages, so I thought we could all list various chores assigned to our children, and the ages.

Kadia is 15, and can do almost everything, she cooks, cleans, does laundry, carries wood, cleans barns, and almost everything I can do. I am working with her on more advanced cooking, and on sewing. She helps with preparing foods for canning but hasn't done anything on her own yet.

Megan is 12 and can do almost everything Kadia can. Her cooking skills aren't as advanced and she doesn't sew much at all yet.

Lindsey is 10 and helps me in the kitchen, cleans bathrooms, folds laundry, and loves to work outside carrying wood and feeding the animals. She ahs started using the sewing machine some.

Brady is 8. He just started washing dishes 100% on his own in Sept. He can run the sweeper, dust, clean the bathroom, carry wood, cleans the porch, cleans stalls and folds things like towels.

They all keep their own rooms clean, with some help and encouragement form me! They don't do all of these chores daily or anything. On weekday mornings, they just clean their rooms, and feed animals (with me) In the evenings they each do one or maybe 2 jobs. On weekends they might do 2-3 jobs per person. I like to rotate chores daily, giving them the chance to try different things, and then a dreaded job is not done too often!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), February 03, 2002

Answers

Any suggestions for 5 and 3 year olds? I have a terrible time trying to figure out what is appropriate for my boys! Mitchell can empty the trash in the bathrooms, and make his bed (sort of - it's a daybed, so it's a little more difficult)

We are trying the "pick up your own stuff", but they are so fast, unless it's clothes I often don't know who put it there to begin with!

-- Christine in OK (cljford@mmcable.com), February 03, 2002.


At 5, I think they could dust, run the sweeper, fold towels and wahcloths (if you aren't too picky!!!) and even at 3 they can put dirty clothes in the basket, wipe things off with a wet cloth, and run for you! That is the greatest thing!! To send them after things you need. They usually don't mind and it saves a lot of steps. Brady carried wood from the time he was 4. I would throw the pieces down to the ground for him and he would load them in his wagon and pull it to the house!!

I think the main thing is to make them feel necessary and that they are truly being helpful. This gives them the desire to do a job well and to make you happy. Brady loved knowing he could bring in the wood and help provide us with heat.

I remember once when we were building our house, Cale brought home a load of used bricks to build our chimney with. We were both just exhausted and trying to do about 20 other things! Kadia was only 3 1/2 and she jumped right in the truck and threw off about 200 bricks without us even asking her. (They weren't very heavy) She was so happy that she helped us, and it was a real help too!

I remember another time when I was pregnant,and very sick. I woke up and Kadia (6 at the time) and Megan (4) were quietly out in the Kitchen, and had mopped the floor and washed the dishes for me!!! Of course it wasn't perfect, but it was so sweet and I really appreciated the thoughtfulness they showed that day.

Kids can do a lot and if you allow them the joy of accomplishing a task they will learn to love to work.

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), February 03, 2002.


My Son Aaron is 10=almost 11. He runs the vacuum, and dustbuster on the stairs, dries and puts away dishes, cleans the bathroom-including toliet, does the windows,feeds the chickens, does some simple cooking- he can get a meal together, can run the dryer and hang clothes out, can wash HIS clothes in the washer-he can run the washer if I sort stuff out. He really doesn't like gardening chores, though he likes to pull hornworms off the tomato plants, though of course he does what I ask him too. He carries groceries in from the car asnd can pretty much put everything away.

Rachel is almost 8-she is my kitchen apprentice, she mixes things up and is learning basic cooking skills, she can make her own breakfast and get a sandwich together. She dusts, feeds the inside pets, sets the table, she LOVES gardening chores and likes to help me water houseplants. She is learning some simple sewing basics.

Both kids make thier own beds-I found that comforters, instead of top sheets and blankets make this easier for kids. They both pick up thier rooms, they are responsable for making sure thier dirty clothes get put in the laundry room, and they have to keep their things picked up out of the living room.

-- Kelly (KY) (Homearts2002@yahoo.com), February 03, 2002.


Andrew, at the tender age of 11, folds laundry, unloads the dishwasher, sweeps and washes the kitchen floor, helps out with splitting and bringing in wood, general cleaning of the living room, vaccuuming, picking up his room, and can cook a mean omlette!

His little brother, Lukas, helps out with some simpler jobs. At 7, he feeds and waters the rabbits and chickens (and collects eggs), feeds the dogs and cats, helps with the general cleaning (under supervision), brings up wood for the stoves, feeds the dogs, too.

Both boys are a big help around the homestead.

-- Judi (ddecaro@snet.net), February 03, 2002.


We have 2 girls , ages 5 and 6, and we definitly do our share. We have a chore chart. each morning before school ( homeschool ), they must, make their bed, get dressed, brush teeth, brush hair, eat breakfast, clear table, and make sure toys are picked up. After school, they eat and have a 2 hour free time. Then they help with dinner, ie: get mommy 7 potatoes, and an onion, and 2 cans of peas, ect... , Then after dinner they must clear the table. To earn extra stars on their chart, ( they get a star for each chore completed with out me having to remind them ) they can clean the toilet, or carry out the trash, fold laundry ( ie: towels, washclothes, sort laundry ect...) wash basboards ect... When their chart has 50 stars, We have a bean feast ( Its where you eat only junk food for dinner.). This really works well. My hubby and I dont believe it's right to be payed for household chores, they live there they should help. The message vocalized at each bean feast is " When mommy doesnt have to do all the work herself, we can all have fun together. and let me tell you this REALLY works for our family.

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), February 03, 2002.


Someone in a previous post said that she "asked" her children to help with cleaning the house and they refuse. I never asked my kiddos to do anything, it was expected and insisted upon. If you ask, then you have given them the right to say "no". I did have a problem one week with my teenagers and I went on strike for week to make my point. I refused to cook, clean, wash clothes, provide lunches, drive anybody anywhere,etc...it was the week where two of the teens were going to the Friday night dance..on Friday morning they told me what time they needed to be there..ha ha ha...I reminded them that since they had been "too busy" to do their chores and help me out, they had best find somebody elses' mother to drive them to the dance....never had a problem again with any of them. When my first was 18 months old, she enjoyed getting diapers for me out of the bag for her brother (planned parenthood!)..she would sit next to me and "fold" daipers and hold things for me..she enjoyed being the "big "sister...I do not think any child is too young for "chores", as everyone lives in the house...the foster children truly loved to do chores..they would argue over who was going to do what, etc....seemed the vaccuum cleaner was some sort of status symbol..I always looked at the height and age of the child...little ones got the bottom of things such as the side of the bathtub, while the older ones took care of cleaning the inside..it seemed to work so well when a big kid was teamed with a little one. As far as who left what where??? well, I always avoided that question...the one assigned to clean the area got to clean the area..they would then nag the other kids if necessary about leaving their junk around. Chores were always rotated each week so no one got stuck doing the same thing twice in a row. I recall one kiddo turning 5 in our home and announcing that now she was BIG enough to wash the whole refrigerator door all by herself! Chores are great self-esteem builders as well as promoting true family unity.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), February 03, 2002.

know what you mean Lesley, I don't give options either. I usually explain the reasons for whatever they have to do, to teach them that some things you just have to do whether you really want to or not. I also tell them the benefits of doing things, like keeping their rooms clean will give them more time to do other things. My daughter and son are 7 and 8 so chores are equally shared. They've been folding their own laundry and putting it away for a couple years now. My daughter folds better than than I do ; ) They make their beds when they get up, always clean up before they go to sleep. They can do basic stuff in the kitchen and run the microwave, toaster, etc but I usually don't let them do much unsupervised because they can still make quite a mess. They put away dishes, take the trash out. My son has ran the sweeper for a while and does a pretty good job now. Usually whatever I'm doing they take part in even if it's just carrying stuff. I give them .50 a week allowance, they're due for a raise soon.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), February 04, 2002.

I think I've been pretty lucky with my kids and chores. My 12 yo DD can do (and does) almost everything. For daily chores, she takes care of the inside cat, the inside birds, the outside cats, rabbits, chickens and horses (DH has to haul water for them though) and her room is clean. She also folds and puts away laundry if its there. Her weekly chores include cleaning the barn, recycling, dusting & vacuuming (only once a week, I do the rest). If asked, she will do anything else - from cleaning bathrooms to moping floors. Her cooking skills are improving and started canning on her own last fall. She can sew on a button or sew a straight seam if she has to and she has a green thumb for gardening (and still enjoys it). And she absolutely loves to babysit!

My 4yo DS is just starting his life-instruction. He loves to help so its never a problem recruiting him. On his own, he keeps his room very neat, makes his bed every day and feeds the dogs. If I'm dusting, vacuuming, starting or folding laundry or cleaning anything, he HAS to help (and of course, I let him). I can't wait to get him gardening this spring!

All of this is done without allowances - its just expected of them as part of the family. However, DD does get money on occasion "just because."

-- Lisa in WI (llehman16nospam@hotmail.com), February 04, 2002.


My DS is 6 and he has a number of of things he has to do to get his allowance. We have a job chart for him and check off things as he does them.

Getting his own clothes out and getting dressed. Making his bed. He does a very good job. Keeping his room somewhat clean. running the push sweeper in his room. Feeding his rabbits and helping feed tha llama's Doing his homework. set the dinner table Helps at the grocery store. This can be a math lession also. Best deals, counting cans, adding, fractions. Helps take out trash (even as a 3 year old he cried when I didnt let him help with the trash cans). Little kid pushing a 50gallon trash can was a sight.

-- Gary in Ohio (gws@columbus.rr.com), February 04, 2002.


My sons are almost 9, almost 6 and 4 1/2. They are responsible for looking after the chickens, the dog and the cat, bringing in wood every day, making beds, tidying their rooms, setting the table, cleaning the bathroom, folding and hanging up laundry, cleaning their rooms once a week, helping in the garden and helping with the dishes. These chores are part of being in our family and they do not get paid for them. They have the option of earning money by doing large jobs that are not part of the every day functioning of our home, such as cleaning out the basement or stacking large quantities of wood or cleaning up one of the buildings on our farm.

-- Silvia (organic_farmer@hotmail.com), February 04, 2002.


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