Chores for Kids

[Shooby]

I would like to hear how you assign chores in your home. What are the ages of your kids? And, what daily, weekly, and/or monthly chores do you assign? And, do you have a chore rotation or certain kids responsible, etc?

I started assigning the following:

-trash duty - emptying all small cans and taking it out .

- dishwasher - put away clean dishes, wash/dry dishes that can't go in the DW and scrape and put dirty ones in to run

-vacuuming - each is assigned a room to vac.

- table - responsible to clear and set table. And, to put away place mats, wipe down table, push chairs in

[Sum Dum Gai]

My kids have it pretty easy. They set and clear the table when we eat, load and unload the dishwasher, and they're supposed to take out the trash and take the bins to the curb on Wednesday night but they usually forget and Loop does it Thursday morning. They're also responsible for cleaning their rooms and their bathroom.

They're 11 and 13, and have had that chore list for several years.

[mizbear]

Until my parents split, we never had chores- you cleaned if someone was coming over.

After my parents split, the focus was on grades, but we were supposed to help with things like dishes and bringing groceries in. I did- and I got rewards. My brother didn't and- well, you all have heard parts of that soap opera.

I think chores are good for kids. When my nieces stay with me, they have certain responsibilities- the housekeeper was offed by the dustbunnies long ago and they cremated her in the dryer- hence the lint.

That said, I don't think it's right when parents use their kids for housekeeping staff or do things like withhold food until a chore is done. Especially not when they (well, she) sit on their butt and play video games all day while the kids are in school. (These are people who buy steak for themselves and feed the kids- who are the same age as my nieces- Hamburger Helper).

[Shooby]

Good points. I try to teach them that chores are not about punishment or meant to be difficult. But it is all part of working in cooperation with each other as a family. I don't pay for chores because I believe it is best to teach them that there is some work that just must be done. And I try to make it fair so that everyone gets a fair shake. And DH and I are usually working as well when they are so we certainly wouldn't ask them to do something we don't.

[swamp]

We have them set and clear the table, pick up their toys, shovel, pull weeds out of the garden, take the garbage out, throw the laundry in the washer and dryer (I fold), and whatever else I think they're capable of. 

[whoisjohngalt]

Damn, I typed a long response but then remembered that you told me to stay away from you and your threads.....I hate wasting time.....

[Shooby]

You are a big girl. You can do what u want.

[Sum Dum Gai]

Oh, mine do their own laundry too.

[Shooby]

They do their laundry,? I thought about that but haven't yet.

[swamp]

Jan 25, 2014 22:13:44 GMT -5 Shooby said:

They do their laundry,? I thought about that but haven't yet.

Isn't one of your kids a senior in HS?  And he's never done laundry?  

[Shooby]

Do your kids plan or cook some meals?

[justme]

No kids, but let's see what I recall about what I did....

Around 10 I started to do my own laundry,  because my 13 yo brother pitched a hissy fit and was told to do his own, and since my mom previously had done ours together somehow I got lumped into that fight.

Started cooking full meals at 9, but I liked to cook. It probably wasn't a chore until I hit high school. By then I was told to cook at least one dinner a week if not more. Lunch wise I was probably in charge of making my own lunches by 3rd grade, I was "picky" (quotes cuz it was not as bad as these 5 things only kids I'm hearing about!) so my mom made me do it thinking I'd relent and eat what she fixed (nope!).

I know my bro and I split setting/clearing the table and putting things in the dishwasher but I don't remember how. Cleaning our own bathroom came into the fold there somehow too.

I know I vacuumed/moped but I'm not sure it was a regular thing - more when the rents asked me to. I mowed the long a few times when the riding lawn mower was fun, but most of it was my older bro.

The only thing I remember being paid for was washing the cars, but that shit stopped when I was around 11 and they wanted to give me $2 for cleaning a minivan. That took a good hour since I was to dry it too - yup, I chose to watch TV instead.

[raeoflyte]

Anne-I love your chart! Might have a project to do today...

I plan to pay for chores. My take on it is that as an adult you can choose to keep your house anyway you want. While you live with me though, you get to keep it how I like. I want my kids to know how to do for themselves, but again its all based on ky standards so I'll pay for it.

Sent from my ADR6410LVW using proboards

[swamp]

Jan 25, 2014 22:30:19 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Do your kids plan or cook some meals?

They're 6 and 7. We would have chicken nuggets and Kraft Mac and cheese if they were in charge. 

But they do nuke their own nuggets and make their own sandwiches. 

[plugginaway22]

I am one of those Moms who did not teach my kids to do laundry until the summer they went off to college.  They did a lot of other chores though.
I think it was because laundry was always my thing that I didn't mind doing and wanted it done my way, haha.

[Shooby]

It isn't that they haven't done it. It is just that we have been hit and miss with chore assignments. A lot of life events happened such as my mom being ill and dying and I was preoccupied with a lot of other life issues so I didnt' keep up with chore charts and so forth. But, it is never too late so now I am trying again to be a bit more organized in that dept. So, if people want to criticize me for that, have at it.

[Sum Dum Gai]

We don't have a chore chart and they don't get an allowance. They do their own laundry so they have clean clothes to wear to school. They set and clear the table and do the dishes because they need to eat. If they cook Loop and I do the dishes. They clean their rooms and bathroom so they can use them. Admittedly that last one is hit and miss. A bedroom is still usable with a dirty floor.

[mizbear]

I started doing laundry at 6 because my mom got really serious burns, but didn't do it full time until I was 8 or 9. Didn't really learn how to cook much until I was 28 though- that sucked

[Ombud]

7 8: swifter, wipe familyroom sliding door by handle - $4
12: dust house, wipe down bathrooms -$8 (8th grader)
16: vacuum - $10 bc he always has attitude
Hardwood floors & bathrooms - me

Everyone has to get their clothes into laundry room if they want them washed.

This is my GKs. My DD lives here bc she isn't employed.

[KaraBoo]

Jan 25, 2014 22:13:44 GMT -5 Shooby said:

They do their laundry,? I thought about that but haven't yet.

My kids are currently 17, 16, 15 and 13 - they've been doing their own laundry for about 4-5 years now.

When my 3 step-kids moved in with us full time, I was trying to keep up with everything myself. Laundry was an all-day Saturday chore with 8-15 loads depending on what was being washed.  I got tired of doing it all, so over one summer I taught them all how it worked (so it didn't interfere with school).

They are each assigned a day to do laundry - the day depends on their current school schedule and whether or not they'll actually be home to work on it. Weekends are for us to catch up on anything missed and the adults' clothes. I'm now washing only 2-3 loads a week and I'm much happier for it.

[KaraBoo]

Jan 25, 2014 22:30:19 GMT -5 Shooby said:

Do your kids plan or cook some meals?

Since they are now 17, 16, 15 and 13 - yes, I'm starting to have them cook some meals.

My work schedule and their school schedules are hectic.  If we want to eat at home, we have to plan accordingly.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

They can make:
spaghetti
meatball subs
mashed potatoes
hamburger helper
anything that is just heat and eat (lasagna, salisbury steak, etc - from the freezer section)
Mac and cheese
grilled cheese
scrambled eggs
heat up frozen veggies

Usually, I'll start something in the crockpot (beef or pork roast) and have whoever is home work on the sides before I get home.

One night a week, I'm not home at all due to work, so I make sure there is something easy in the freezer/refrigerator for them to cook.

SS is my cook - he can also make french toast, pancakes, brownies, muffins and I'm teaching him how to make gravies.  

[KaraBoo]

Chores are assigned as follows:

1 kid - washes dishes (we have a dishwasher, but anything that doesn't fit needs to be washed by hand)
1 kid - puts dishes away and sets table for dinner
1 kid - takes out recycling (once a week to the curb and as necessary from the house) and cleans off dinner table
1 kid - takes out trash (twice a week to the curb and as necessary from the house) and feeds/waters the dogs.

Chores are for the week, but usually last 2-3 weeks (occasionally longer) as we've told all of them the person who does the dishes controls how long they are doing that particular chore.  Since there are 6 of us, we go through a lot of dishes every day.  It is manageable if they stay on top of it.  

If the kid assigned that chore decides they don't want to do it and allows it to pile up, or if we have to get on to them to do the dishes, or if they do a really crappy job (which....lets face it - sometimes they do and they'll usually do it because they're in a hurry and don't want to do them) the chore rotation stays right where it is until they do it properly.

If a kid is super busy that week with school activities, DH and I will help out with their chores, but we'll still watch to see what they're doing when they're not busy.

[whoisjohngalt]

Jan 26, 2014 9:07:50 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

Anne-I love your chart! Might have a project to do today...

I plan to pay for chores. My take on it is that as an adult you can choose to keep your house anyway you want. While you live with me though, you get to keep it how I like. I want my kids to know how to do for themselves, but again its all based on ky standards so I'll pay for it.

Sent from my ADR6410LVW using proboards

I am the complete opposite.  I won't pay anyone for anything.

I don't even care if they have "regular" assigned chores.  I care about two things  1 -  you need to do what you need to do to help with whatever needs help (I NEVER want to hear from anyone in this house that they won't do something bc it's not their "chore" ) and 2 - you need to learn that not all things are fun, there will be stuff you don't like to do but have to anyway.

DS1 and DS2 have been told that kitchen table is all theirs to clean.  They were told that we don't care which one of them does it, but it has to be done.  They ONLY reason it was "assigned" is bc that was the ONLY thing they didn't want to do.  So, now, a month later, they learned that if they don't do it - they have to eat at a dirty table and won't have enough clean dishes  AND it's been very good to see them to come up with all kinds of arrangements between themselves.  Their whining about it decreased tremendously as the time went on.

[Shooby]

I agree. I do not pay for chores. I think it is important that kids understand that we all have responsibility and sorry u don't get paid for that. It is part of being a family.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Cleaning their own rooms when old enough to do so. They should also be pitching in on household chores - taking out the trash, doing dishes, vacuuming, dusting, setting the table,

For younger kids, picking up their toys and putting them away after play - in a bin or on shelves - whatever you have for storage.

Teenagers should already be trained on doing their own laundry AND ironing - it prepares them for the real world - going off to college,or living on their own, etc. Also meal planning & preparation.

In winter, shoveling snow, and summer, mowing lawns or helping tend garden/plant & pick crops.

Also teach them little helpful hints - sewing on buttons, repairing clothes, using small power tools, or hand-tools - to do minor repairs.

I don't know that an "assigned" schedule is really necessary, though it does work in a large family if there's rotation of chores so the kids learn to to multiple tasks. We used to get an "allowance" when we were young, but we had to earn it. It wasn't just given.

As teenagers we were already conditioned to do our share in helping out at home and it just was natural to do what we were taught earlier in life.

[mizbear]

One thing I found out when I was younger- an allowance is only motivating if parents follow through with it. My parents (father especially) did not pay promised allowances. My grandparents did not pay actual allowances, but instead kept track of what we did and we were rewarded in turn