At what age do you think that children should have chores? What kind?
What age should kids have chores?
03/21/2011
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Kids have responsibilities in the Kindergarten classroom, so they should certainly have age appropriate chores at home by that age.
03/21/2011
Our children were given simple chores around 3-4 years old, shoveling snow, raking leaves, sweeping, picking up their rooms, doing dishes, etc. Granted the chores often appeared to be play to them, more often than not required either my wife or I finishing them!
03/21/2011
I have found that the younger parents start them on chores (age appropriate chores, not hard grueling tasks), the more likely they are to help out around the house without being asked at a later age. Also if chores are started later, children don't see why they need to do them, since they never did before.
03/21/2011
i sometimes wish my parents had started me on chores early... now im a procrastinator.
03/21/2011
Quote:
Simple tasks to start them off understanding responsibility and earning things. This will help to make your child more independent and active in the household. This may also add time for bonding (ex: do a chore together like folding clothes, washing the dog, etc.)
Originally posted by
sexyintexas
At what age do you think that children should have chores? What kind?
03/21/2011
Quote:
Agreed! Children need self-efficacy
Originally posted by
PiratePrincess
I have found that the younger parents start them on chores (age appropriate chores, not hard grueling tasks), the more likely they are to help out around the house without being asked at a later age. Also if chores are started later, children
...
more
I have found that the younger parents start them on chores (age appropriate chores, not hard grueling tasks), the more likely they are to help out around the house without being asked at a later age. Also if chores are started later, children don't see why they need to do them, since they never did before.
less
03/21/2011
When my kids were babies, they helped pick up their toys. My kids would have toys put in the attic, for a few days, if they refused to pick them up (I'm a Mean Mama) and as soon as they could walk, they were told to put their dish and cup into the sink after a meal. (I hate cleaning up after people.)
My kids were all doing their own laundry by the age of 12. I am now traning my 11 year old (our youngest) to do laundry. She's catching on pretty quickly, (faster than My Man, who "can't work" the front loader washing machine.) After they turn 12 I simply refuse to do their laundry. That's old enough. "You don't do your own laundry, you're gonna smell." Again, I'm a Mean Mama.
My kids are also expected to help in the yard and garden, my babies were planting seeds before they could walk. 8 or 9 month old babies, playing in the dirt, "helping" with large seeds like pumpkins and sunflowers. I tried to teach them to weed then, but they would eat the weeds, to we waited. LOL!
By 10 or 11, they are expected to change their own sheets, and clean their rooms, and of course take care of their dishes if they eat things etc. Also, clearing the dishwasher is a kid task, as is helping with the garbage. We have a lot of people living in our house, we have a lot of garbage and recycling to have to work with. Kids as young as 3 or 4 are given "Foofy Fluffies" (those fluffy disposable dusters on sticks) and sent to "dust" and help out.
My youngest would take a paper towel at a year old and "wash" the kitchen floor. She had a thing about "dirts" and "dusts." "Lookie, Mama, a Dirt!" OK, you wanna do that, you may.
My kids were all doing their own laundry by the age of 12. I am now traning my 11 year old (our youngest) to do laundry. She's catching on pretty quickly, (faster than My Man, who "can't work" the front loader washing machine.) After they turn 12 I simply refuse to do their laundry. That's old enough. "You don't do your own laundry, you're gonna smell." Again, I'm a Mean Mama.
My kids are also expected to help in the yard and garden, my babies were planting seeds before they could walk. 8 or 9 month old babies, playing in the dirt, "helping" with large seeds like pumpkins and sunflowers. I tried to teach them to weed then, but they would eat the weeds, to we waited. LOL!
By 10 or 11, they are expected to change their own sheets, and clean their rooms, and of course take care of their dishes if they eat things etc. Also, clearing the dishwasher is a kid task, as is helping with the garbage. We have a lot of people living in our house, we have a lot of garbage and recycling to have to work with. Kids as young as 3 or 4 are given "Foofy Fluffies" (those fluffy disposable dusters on sticks) and sent to "dust" and help out.
My youngest would take a paper towel at a year old and "wash" the kitchen floor. She had a thing about "dirts" and "dusts." "Lookie, Mama, a Dirt!" OK, you wanna do that, you may.
03/21/2011
When my kids were babies, they helped pick up their toys. My kids would have toys put in the attic, for a few days, if they refused to pick them up (I'm a Mean Mama) and as soon as they could walk, they were told to put their dish and cup into the sink after a meal. (I hate cleaning up after people.)
My kids were all doing their own laundry by the age of 12. I am now traning my 11 year old (our youngest) to do laundry. She's catching on pretty quickly, (faster than My Man, who "can't work" the front loader washing machine.) After they turn 12 I simply refuse to do their laundry. That's old enough. "You don't do your own laundry, you're gonna smell." Again, I'm a Mean Mama.
My kids are also expected to help in the yard and garden, my babies were planting seeds before they could walk. 8 or 9 month old babies, playing in the dirt, "helping" with large seeds like pumpkins and sunflowers. I tried to teach them to weed then, but they would eat the weeds, so we had to wait. LOL!
By 10 or 11, they are expected to change their own sheets, and clean their rooms, and of course take care of their dishes if they eat things etc. Our older two always did the dishes before we got a dishwasher. My Man or I would do the pots and pans and the kids would do everything else. Also, clearing the dishwasher is a kid task, as is helping with the garbage. We have a lot of people living in our house, we have a lot of garbage and recycling to have to work with. Kids as young as 3 or 4 are given "Foofy Fluffies" (those fluffy disposable dusters on sticks) and sent to "dust" and help out.
My youngest would take a paper towel at a year old and "wash" the kitchen floor. She had a thing about "dirts" and "dusts." "Lookie, Mama, a Dirt!" OK, you wanna do that, you may. She did a good job.
My kids were all doing their own laundry by the age of 12. I am now traning my 11 year old (our youngest) to do laundry. She's catching on pretty quickly, (faster than My Man, who "can't work" the front loader washing machine.) After they turn 12 I simply refuse to do their laundry. That's old enough. "You don't do your own laundry, you're gonna smell." Again, I'm a Mean Mama.
My kids are also expected to help in the yard and garden, my babies were planting seeds before they could walk. 8 or 9 month old babies, playing in the dirt, "helping" with large seeds like pumpkins and sunflowers. I tried to teach them to weed then, but they would eat the weeds, so we had to wait. LOL!
By 10 or 11, they are expected to change their own sheets, and clean their rooms, and of course take care of their dishes if they eat things etc. Our older two always did the dishes before we got a dishwasher. My Man or I would do the pots and pans and the kids would do everything else. Also, clearing the dishwasher is a kid task, as is helping with the garbage. We have a lot of people living in our house, we have a lot of garbage and recycling to have to work with. Kids as young as 3 or 4 are given "Foofy Fluffies" (those fluffy disposable dusters on sticks) and sent to "dust" and help out.
My youngest would take a paper towel at a year old and "wash" the kitchen floor. She had a thing about "dirts" and "dusts." "Lookie, Mama, a Dirt!" OK, you wanna do that, you may. She did a good job.
03/21/2011
I used to love pretending I was cleaning. My mom didn't give me chores until I was about 9, at which point I already hated them. I'm surprised she didn't take advantage of my interest while she had the chance!
03/21/2011
I had a few chores when I was 6 (setting the table, feeding the dog, etc.) I wish I would have had more though. My mom died when I was 9 and my dad ended up hiring a maid to do most of the chores. Then when I moved out on my own I didn't know how to do anything! I think if they had given me more chores when I was younger, then I wouldn't have felt so helpless when I moved out on my own.
03/21/2011
Quote:
"Age-appropriate" is probably the most general answer here.
Originally posted by
sexyintexas
At what age do you think that children should have chores? What kind?
In other words, while I'd not expect an 8 year old to be in charge of, say, cleaning the swimming pool, they can do smaller and less potentially dangerous tasks, like cleaning dishes and/or loading the dishwasher. As has been pointed out earlier in this thread, it's a good opportunity for bonding and handing down lessons. Creating "teachable moments," as it were.
That said, I was mowing our lawn (almost an acre) at 7, with an old--and very dangerous--gasoline lawnmower. I don't feel hard-done-by with this, but rather remember the due care and attention that this instilled in me--the 'mower can take a foot off easily, so this is a good lesson.
03/21/2011
Quote:
my thoughts exactly
Originally posted by
Redboxbaby
Kids have responsibilities in the Kindergarten classroom, so they should certainly have age appropriate chores at home by that age.
03/22/2011
As soon as my kids could understand me, I started giving them chores. Nothing too hard. But they do have to pick up their room, and keep their toys cleaned up. They have to take their dirty dish's to the kitchen after a meal. I dont think that is too much to ask from them. They will get more and more chores as they get older.
03/22/2011
As a child, I had small chores that I had to do when I was under 8, like cleaning my room and making my bed. I think I even liked to help my mom vacuum and sweep the floor. Chores that teach kids to take care of their stuff and to help out the family are important. I wouldn't make the younger ones do anything "serious", just enough to help out some
03/22/2011
Cleaning up toys and putting them back in the toy box is a good place to start.
03/22/2011
Quote:
Haha! For a second I thought you meant your sex toys. lol
Originally posted by
Bunnycups
Cleaning up toys and putting them back in the toy box is a good place to start.
03/22/2011
When I have kids, I will probably have them do chores pretty early on. Starting them on chores forms good habits that will carry on for the rest of their lives.
03/22/2011
Our daughter had to start cleaning her own rooms herself at 3. She has certain bins for certain toys. Now that she's five she loves to use the small hand vacuum to help out (it was her idea, lol), and she likes to dust smaller shelves, etc (also her idea). When she started cleaning her own room we always sang a silly cleanup song we made up, and she had fun with it. She does the same helping around the house.
03/22/2011
I had a chore when I was 4 years old. I love doing chores, and it gives me something to do on my down time. I have brother who didn't have chores untill he was 13/14 years old. He never did what he was told and his mom would just end up doing it for him. he is 17 now and still doesn't do anything, and me and my dad try to get him to just clean his room, and that is like pulling your own teeth out.
03/22/2011
Picking up toys, making beds, and helping with those little things is a good way to start teaching responsibility from a young age.
03/24/2011
Quote:
I'm thinking when they are in kindergarten. I try to get my 4 year old to help cleaning his room and it's almost impossible. He gets distracted by everything. I have to literally tell him which items to pick up and where to put them even though he knows. I'm hoping it gets easier soon
Originally posted by
sexyintexas
At what age do you think that children should have chores? What kind?
03/24/2011
As soon as they are big enough to help out (3-4) they should be helping. At home, they should be beginning to work on simple things like making their bed & cleaning their room/putting toys away. It's never to early to start.
03/31/2011
Quote:
Younger is better
Originally posted by
PiratePrincess
I have found that the younger parents start them on chores (age appropriate chores, not hard grueling tasks), the more likely they are to help out around the house without being asked at a later age. Also if chores are started later, children
...
more
I have found that the younger parents start them on chores (age appropriate chores, not hard grueling tasks), the more likely they are to help out around the house without being asked at a later age. Also if chores are started later, children don't see why they need to do them, since they never did before.
less
09/25/2011
As soon as we were standing up, we would have 'practice' chores like wiping off the fronts of the kitchen cabinets while mom washed off the tops. Basically height was the only requirement to make you eligible for a chore---tall enough to reach the silverware drawer? Then you can put away clean dishes. Tall enough to use a broom? Then you can sweep. Strong enough to carry the trash bags? Then you can take out the trash.
By the time we were 13 & 12 & 4, if mom and dad were gone for some reason, we older two could easily have the house in order, laundry done, and diapers changed and dinner on the table for the younger one. Granted mom and dad would be gone, like, two evenings per year---but we helped out a lot most days anyway.
And from 3rd grade on we were working the smallest, easiest-to-do jobs at the family business. There are some things it's actually easier for shorter folks to do.
Basically, as soon as someone's tall enough to help, they're ready to shoulder responsibility.
By the time we were 13 & 12 & 4, if mom and dad were gone for some reason, we older two could easily have the house in order, laundry done, and diapers changed and dinner on the table for the younger one. Granted mom and dad would be gone, like, two evenings per year---but we helped out a lot most days anyway.
And from 3rd grade on we were working the smallest, easiest-to-do jobs at the family business. There are some things it's actually easier for shorter folks to do.
Basically, as soon as someone's tall enough to help, they're ready to shoulder responsibility.
09/25/2011
I think that children should have chores even before the age of 8. I had them very early on in life, and I personally believe it's something that helps in the development of a child.
09/25/2011
Chores should definitely come before 8, but just simple little things to work on responsibility.
09/25/2011
Small little things before 8, bigger things after then,
12/25/2011
I had chores from about 7 years old. I was responsible for doing my own washing at that age. I think having chores and doing stuff for myself made me responsible from young.
12/25/2011
isn't free labor one of the best parts of having kids?
12/25/2011
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Unique posters: 31
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