Household Chores for Children

Hello C.,
We have a 5 year old who likes to dust. I hand him a cloth and he follows behind me. He's not really dusting but he is learning the process, feels great about helping and is having fun plus I'm getting some work done. I also allow him to stand on a stool and "wash" his plastic sippy cups at the kitchen sink. They are actually clean but again he enjoys it and it makes him feel a part of things. I praise him a lot and tell him what a wonderful job he is doing. Sometimes he brings me the bathroom trash container so I can empty it. He helps put the laundry into the washer and dryer (as if they ware basketball hoops). He also likes to set the table (napkins and sometimes silverware). As far as rewards he enjoys stickers, tattoos, an extra book at bedtime. He started helping at about age 3.
Have fun!

Absolutely, you should start your children out with doing chores. I made the mistake of having a maid for 7 years and when I could no longer afford to pay someone to clean, my children had to start helping and they nearly lost their minds at the thought of having to clean up after themselves. I learned my leson the hard way...please don't make the same mistake. It took me a year of constant frustration in trying to teach them to do chores, but they are fully capable of cleaning up after themselves...and they should. Start out with simple chores as some of the moms have already suggested and gradually add more and more tasks as they get older. My reward to my children is usually taking them to 7-11 on Fridays and letting them get a Slurpee and maybe a bag of chips and/or a small candy and we do movie night at home together. Usually costs me about $15-20 total for 5 kids, and we get family time together to just relax and talk and laugh...that is reward enough for doing chores all week.

There is a fabulous book called, WHAT EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW ALONG THE WAY.

It gives great ideas for household chores and other responabitlies that each child is capable of at the appropriate age.

I highly recommend it. If you don't want to buy it see if your library has it.

http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-practical-skills-every-sta...

I definitely think chores should be an expected contribution to being part of a family. No one pays me to do the household work... In my opinion, kids need to learn to help out around the house without expected benefit from it.

Both the kids can definitely make their beds each morning when they get up. They can both also help set the table and clear it after a meal. Both my 5 and 2 1/2 year old take their folded laundry to their rooms also. My 5 year old puts hers away as well. She also loves to vacuum so that depends on the weight of your vacuum. She also likes to clean mirros and the toilet bowl and I use her to fold everyone's socks as well.

It's good you're thinking about this now. They surely won't automatically love doing chores when they are older so you might as well teach them now. We do most of our chores in the morning after breakfast, but I'm a SAHM, so that's when it works for us. Do whatever works best for you.

Good luck. It might take you more time to teach good work habits, but you'll appreciate it in the long run...and so will they later in life!

I made a chart with their morning routine, and the before routine. My daughter is 3 1/2, so I added simple pictures (cut from mag. or catalogs) so she can "read" the chart by herself. There is no reward, except that when her chart is done, then breakfast is ready, or it is time for a bedtime story.
Growing up, my mom had a chore can, that we each drew from and that gave us variety in chores, plus it seemed fair, cause it was our bad luck for drawing chores we didn't like, though we could always trade if someone wanted to.

I think it is so important for kids to learn that helping around the house is part of being in the family. They should not be rewarded for doing what is expected of them, but they should receive a lot of praise for doing things without a fight, and doing it well. Maybe after a few days or a week, you could do something special with them and tell them it is because you are so proud of the way they are helping!

Some good chores for little ones are folding washcloths or towels (unless you're picky about how they're done!) keeping their rooms picked up, feeding the dog, putting the silverware away from the dishwasher (no sharp knives, of course), emptying small trash cans and replacing liners, restocking the baby's diapers in a basket, etc.

I have a 5 1/2 year old also, and this is what he is responsible for:

Feeding /watering the dog
Putting his toys away
Putting clothes from the bathroom into the hamper (our bathroom tends to accumulate dirty clothes on the floor...lol)
Helping outside - picking up sticks, garbage, etc.

I think of this in two ways. There are things that are expected and things that I consider to be extra helping.
Expected: Picking up toys and any mess that you made, making sure your clothes are in the hamper and that your bed is made etc. Basically, cleaning up after yourself. Put your shoes and backpack where they belong after school. Clear your own dishes from the table.
I have a 4 yr old and a 6 yr old and this is what I expect from them (with a little help and guidance).

There are other things that my kids can choose to help with and receive a small allowance for. Ex: Feed the dog and/or cats. Dust the living room table and TV. Wipe off the table after a meal. My son takes out the compost. My daughter likes to "help" mop. For any chore that they do everyday of the week (like feed the dog) they receive $1 on Friday. My son who is 6, feeds the dog, wipes the table after meals and takes out the compost, so he receives $3 a week. I see this as a big help to me and pretty cheap labor. With this money, he is learning how to save and spend money and the real value of a dollar. I think it is important for young children to have the opportunity to earn money of their own and spend/save it as they choose.
Again, I would never pay my kids to clean their rooms, etc, that is just their responsibility. And I expect my kids to help out in other little ways if I ask them without expecting to get paid, ex: please go get my purse, please help your sister with her shoes, please turn the light off for me.
Also, when my kids dust the TV or wipe off the kitchen table, they use a vinegar and water mixture so it is safe.

In addition, I started out my younger ones on chores by having them empty the trash every morning.

We recently started having our 3 1/2 yr old son make his bed in the morning. He is also resposible for feeding our dog her evening meal. If, by weeks end, he has done all his chores all days he gets a small chocolate bar. It's good to start children out young.

My day care used to give the kids "clean up" time...she'd give them either a wet paper towel, or even just a baby wipe and have them "clean" whatever they could find....
they would dust the tables, and wipe off toys and stuff like that. the 3 1/2 year old would respond to that.
Are your kids boys or girls? Sears sells a barbie vacuum made by Bissell.....it's a real vacuum! my daughter has one and she is in charge of vacuuming her room! (it was only $35)
water the plants is another good kid chore.

For our family, we started out with things like putting laundry away, emptying the trash cans in the bathrooms, feeding/watering the cats. Then graduated to putting away dishes, cleaning litter box, dusting and making beds. Next step (around 7-8) was vacuming, doing dishes and helping clean the bathroom. Teenagers move up to mowing and shoveling.

We've never given funds as it's all part of taking care of eachother, but the kids know the more they help around the house the more they get back from us (going out to eat, roller skating, movies, the book store, etc.)

I am not sure that you will get more than the toys picked up at these ages. The attention span children have is limited at the ages your children are. I feel you may end up becoming frustrated with each other and that leads to other issues.

I feel you should revisit this idea when they are older and able to keep the attention on the project? (look at your eldest, in class they only do projects for so long as attention breaks. And the more that are with them, the better they will participate (other classmates or children their age.).

omg that's a first for me. i never heard it put as 'chores'. but kids do like to mimic their parents. you sound like a cool mom, especially the rewards! my niece would walk around with a duster, she'd look so cute walking around dusting anything she could reach. are you going to make a chart and put on the fridge so they can see what they've done? they are kinda little so just helping mommy out is 'chore' enough.
you and the babies could cut and glue pictures out of old magazine and tape them on small bins for the items that will go in them. that reminds me of when my kids were smaller. we'd have ART fun on saturdays. that might qualify for a reward too.

I have a great idea, Have them help you with folding clothing washing sorting colors and you can make a game out of it,By having them tell you the colors,and object like "daddys smelly Black socks".
Help set the Table,and light cooking like Making salaid ,not cutting things but puting into bowlsand cleaning work area.
Picking up things while you vacuume. More things picked up more reward or something little extra.
I maybe a Man but I have a great time baking with my 4yr old grand daughter. I love to bake. And Yes Reward.