Chores for Kids

[cschin4]

Do your kids do chores? What chores do they do? Do you pay them or is it just expected of them?

[PrincessPerky]

none, and all of em

I think of chores as 'assigned tasks on top of regular work' which is to say my kids have none, but the regular work on the other hand they do plenty of..and they are 4 and 2..ok my baby doesn't do any yet.

And no one pays me to do dishes or anything, so I don't pay them...seems fair.

Laundry:
Put own away..soon as you are able to open the drawer and walk in to your room...help fold some (DD does washclothes, DS does hand towels)....more as they grow. Plus they both empty the dryer frequently

Dishes:
Put away all you can reach..soon as you are tall enough to reach, and know what a spoon is..and when NOT to put it in your mouth (bout 2)

toys:
I didn't play with them I am not putting them away! Ok so I do often play with them..and then I do help..help not do! We start about when dropping on purpose is learned..that is the perfect time to cheer when a toy is dropped into a bucket on demand. As they grow I ask them to do more and more.

beds
DS knows how to 'make' his twin bed, DD just got hers this weekend, she makes it after nap..with lots of help. I make it in the AM. For toddler beds so long as the stuffed animals blankets and decoration pillows are on it, I call it made. (same with cribs..but if you are ina crib chances are I am doing the 'making' still) and yes we do make them nearly every day.

floors
the kitchen floor needs done after EVERY meal..DD does breakfast, DD does lunch (I follow up as needed) The split is cause DD takes a nap after lunch...oh and daddy does dinner .

everything else
Most anything else is as needed, as capable basis...things like putting the towel in the hamper after your bath, or putting the comb back when getting hair done...wiping up the water you spilled or whatever. The above is just the most frequently done list. Prolly more than you asked for.

[tgavin71]

In our house my kids get pocket money for passing room inspection every night. They are expected to take dirty plates etc to the sink, to put dirty clothes in the dirty clothes basket, pick up toys etc left in the living areas and generally to clean up any messes that they have caused.

[boefixepa]

Princess Perky is the mom queen!! No Nanny 911 is going to come knocking on your door! Sounds like you know the drill! That's my game plan, but I'm still in the hunting for husband stage......grrr....why are good men so hard to find???

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by boefixepa

Princess Perky is the mom queen!! No Nanny 911 is going to come knocking on your door! Sounds like you know the drill! That's my game plan, but I'm still in the hunting for husband stage......grrr....why are good men so hard to find???

Thanks!

but some days...

anyway, good men are hard to find, cause good moms are....

[tgavin71]

lol princessperky

[PrincessPerky]

btw on money, I think kids should have some..mine get plenty in gift money to practice budgeting/saving/giving...if they didn't I would be more interested in an allowence.....right now I am interested in getting DH and I an allowence!

[Diolla]

My kid has always been helpful around the house and has things he is expected to do because he is part of the family and helping keep the household running is a responsibility if you are part of a family-

That said, there are chores around the house I pay him for. I don't give an allowance but if he wants money he can do some extra chores. Mowing, washing the car, weeding the flower beds, dishes (I hate doing dishes). He also collects the cans and takes them to the recycle center for extra cash.

Cute story- A lady from church asked him to help her rake up some leaves. He went over there 2 days after school and when he was finished she gave him some money. He came home and showed it to me and said "I didn't expect her to pay me, I thought I was just helping her out." He's a good kid.

[cschin4]

Diolla - What a great kid! Did that make your heart melt when your son said that! Good work.

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by Diolla

Cute story- A lady from church asked him to help her rake up some leaves. He went over there 2 days after school and when he was finished she gave him some money. He came home and showed it to me and said "I didn't expect her to pay me, I thought I was just helping her out." He's a good kid.

Adorable!

[Countrygal]

My kids,girls 14 and 7 do dishes and vacuming and cleaning their rooms and playroom..They dont get paid for this,as it is expected of them to keep the house clean and tidy..My 14 year old however,gets 20$ for cutting the lawn (we have 3 acres)

[jamreed02]

my kids are just starting out with chores. They're 2 & 3 years old, and the baby obviously doesn't do any chores (except occasionally cleaning the floor of a stray cheerio)

whatever they get out, they have to put away. the 3 year old knows how to make beds and helps set the table. I get out all the dishes and hand them to her now, but I'm going to designate a lower cupboard for her to keep an old set of corelle and a set of plastic cups in. they both help clear and load the dishwasher. they help get all the laundry downstairs (they love to chuck it down the stairs into a pile.) They clean the floors and wipe down the cupboards, though they're really mostly playing when they do that. I give them each a damp washcloth, and they have fun making circles on the floor and washing things.

I'm hoping they'll be better prepared for being a homemaker than I was. My mom never enforced chores, and her mother made her do a ton, even cooking dinner every night since she was twelve. I'd like to find a happy medium, so that my kids know how to cook and clean, and manage finances, but have plenty of time to be kids.

[akaivyleaf]

I grew up the classic hebrew slave... I had chores or responsibilites since I can remember. My earliest memory was at about 4, mopping the bathroom floor on my hands and knees. It didn't kill me, so it couldn't have been that bad. Matter of fact, I still prefer to clean the floor, up close and personal to it.

When my daughter was younger, she had responsibilities and as she matured her responsibilities have increased and she doesn't get paid to do what has to be done.

[getforfree]

My kids help me do laundry. My son (3) likes to drop the laundry in the washing machine. He also likes to swip, and tries to help me with the vacuum, but it's to heavy for him. My kids help me to dust the furnitture. They also pick up the toys, especcially my DD(1).

Before they go washing, they would take their clothes off, put it in the dirty laundry basket, and ran to barthroom naked, so funny.

If they find any garbage on the floor, they would take it to the garbage bin, so I have to check my garbage before taking it out of the house, sometimes they throw good things there too. But they try their best to help.

They also listen, if I ask them to put something someplace, or bring me something, they will do it.

They have no idea about the money, but they know about coupons. When I clip the coupons, I give them some adds I don't need, and some small scissors, they are good for paper only, and they "help" me too. They just like helping, and I never make them to pick up toys if they don't feel like it. Mostly they help anyways. They are trying to copy whatever I do.

[lrjohnson]

I don't have kids, so I can only speak having been a kid.

I've posted before on habits. I think having kids clean and do chores sets them up with good habits. Most of the people I know who are pretty tidy and/or clean lived in a house that was that way and usually contributed.

So besides the benefits that the kids and the rest of the family get from young ones doing chores, I think there are benefits that last for years.

[zakity]

My boys have things they are expected to do because they live here and they are part of the family. They are also expected to help out where and when asked.

Then, there are the above and beyond things. They get a quarter an hour for yardwork. They get a quarter (or two) for chores that are above and beyond "normal" chores, like gross messes that I don't want to clean up and things like that.

[getforfree]

I had to do lot's of chores when I was a kid. I used to clean after all my siblings because I was the oldest, I usually had more work in the garden, which was unfair, and I we were not getting paid for it. I wish my parents didn't have that many kids, and then I wouldn't have to do so much work and i would have my own room at least. That's why I have only 2 and don't want any more until we can afford a bigger house. And I don't make them to do any work, like I had to.

[Snoopy2645]

I have my 11 yr old dry & put dishes away & vacumm & clean her room of course & she helps in tons of other ways too!! She also watches her sisters when I need her too. My 5yr old will pick up toys & put laundry away & sometimes dries & puts dishes away too. My 2 yr old dont do much yet but she is learning. As of right now the only one getting an allowance is my 11 yr old she gets $10 a week unless she babysits her sisters then she gets $10 extra for me with her I am just trying to teach money managment & working earns you money I want her to have goals in life & learn to work for them.

[tgavin71]

I have to agree with getforfree about being the oldest and having to do more than younger siblings. I am the eldest of 6. It really makes me angry when parents rely on their eldest child to look after brothers and sisters. Even if they do get paid extra.
Snoopy2645 are you saying that your 11yr old looks after the 5 and 2 yr old? Is that legal? I understand that there are different rules in different states.
There is no way I would let an 11 yr old be responsible for any children no matter how "grown up" they seem to be. It is just not worth the risk. Especially when put in emergency situations such as a fire.
My 15 yr old sister has just started baby sitting for my 9 and 7 year old for a few hours every once and a while.

[PrincessPerky]

oldest- It is hard NOT to ask more of your oldest! DS can clean sooo much better, and so much more independantly..but I ahve to try I have to try really hard, becuaswe I will help him learn good healthy cleaning habits..I just have to find that balance!

floors on knees-well at 4 I imagine the floor was cleaned better with knees, than a giant mop taller than you....and I do my bathroom on knees, no sense getting a huge mop for the tiny floor! And I do my kitchen on knees as often as I find time..casue mopping doesn't get it as clean...course with three small kids you can imagine I hardle ever have time!

babysitting- I ask GMC(-4) to 'babysit' that means no one crys and no one gets hurt..while mommy uses the potty..I am in the same house, just that for the 5 minutes he doesn't get to have 'fair' he gets to 'placate' so hand over the toy if she steals it..sorry I gotta go potty sometime! And yeah he is the oldest, but I have EVERY intention of getting JC to do it when she is older (or rather when UE is older...right now UE comes with me..sits in the tub .)..I will just send GMC to his room for the duration..cause you can't have two babysitters! least not GMC and JC!

habits one thing I spend a good deal of time with my kids on is the 'whys' why do we do laundry, why do we do dishes, why do we clean up. I want them to understand the why so that they will want to do it..and they do want ti done..just like me they would rather snap their fingers like jeannie! I have met many adults who don't understand why one would make a bed daily, or wash dishes frequently (you have some clean, why wash now?) My kids my not totally get it, but they cn tell you dishes and laundry always need done!