Age Appropriate Chores for Children
Children who Participate In Age Appropriate Chores
- Learn about responsibility and contribution
- Grow their self-esteem, confidence, and a sense of security
- Strengthen their fine and gross motor skills
- Develop skills related to working as a team
- Feel valued and included
- Begin to form a healthy concept of discipline and independence
Age Appropriate Chores
2-3 Years-
- Help feed pets, help wipe up messes
- Pick up toys and books, put laundry in hamper
4-5 Years-
- Match socks and fold, put away laundry
- Straighten room, get the newspaper, mail, clear & set table, empty dishwasher, load dishwasher, take laundry to laundry room
6-8 Years-
- Pull weeds and rake leaves, water plants/flowers
- Collect trash from wastebaskets
- Empty dishwasher, clean sinks and counters
- Sort laundry by colors, help pack school lunches
9-11 Years-
- Mop floors, mow grass, vacuum, food prep like wash, cut, dice, & measure, walk pet, clean toilets, take trash out.
12+ Years-
- Baby sit siblings, wash windows, iron clothes, cook simple meals, do laundry, clean refrigerator, make grocery list.
Do you all agree to some or all of these chores according to their age? If not, what would you remove or add?
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Comments
In the 4 to 5 age... mail and
In the 4 to 5 age... mail and newspaper fetching will depend on the location. I wouldn't let most kids get mail on our road..mailbox is too near traffic.
You forgot clean toilets... help parents with projects... hand them tools etc
Load/unload the dishwsher
Load/unload the dishwsher
Woman, that made me laugh! Ever since I moved out of my parents' home, I've been the dishwasher! LOL!
Growing up, we had a rotating system to do dishes. The first dishwashing chore you did was drying and putting away the silverware (age 4). As you got older, you progressed to doing trickier/more delicate dishes.
The parents expected my silbings at me, at age 12, to be able to do the following:
That's the gist of it. Suffice to say, the parents expected us to be able to maintain a household because they were preparing us to be responsible adults (gasp - the horror!). But I'm old...
We could be sisters. This
We could be sisters. This exact thing.
My skids are 4 and 7, and
My skids are 4 and 7, and they are both very short. I wouldn't have them load or empty the dishwasher or clean sinks and counters because they can't really reach the sink without a stool, and I don't need them up on a stool handling glasses and knives. And forget about putting dishes away - they have no prayer of reaching most of the places things need to go. I also wouldn't send them out for the mail - they'd have to stand in the street and we're on a rural road that is 55 mph a couple blocks from us, and cars don't slow down even though the speed limit drops near us. I don't have them carry laundry to the laundry room, because our laundry is in the basement, our baskets tend to be full and awkward and I don't need them pitching down the stairs trying to carry them. They can sort, fold and put away, though. Both of them can and do vacuum, and they'll help with yardwork by picking up sticks and putting them in the burn pile, and by raking leaves (although they don't last for anywhere close to the whole yard). I just can't see the 7 year old mowing the lawn (we have a riding mower and over an acre), dicing the vegetables (sharp knife!), mopping the floors or cleaning the toilets in 2 years, but maybe I'm underestimating what she'll be able to do. We'll see when the time comes. I do think it's good to have kids do chores, though!
I think a lot is househhold specific
Is there a washer dryer in the house?
I think looking at lists is a great idea. The NY Times refers to a study that says girls are STILL expected to do more chores, and get less of an allowance. https://ig.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2019/07/DOCCS%20OSI%20Johnson%2...
Why do I suspect that BOYS get walkd the pet and GIRLS get mop the floor. And then people complain that Stepdaugthers are worse than Steppsons. The chores have to be allocated fairly, and people need to think it over
My parents were very forward
My parents were very forward thinking and insisted that each of us - boy AND girl - must be able to do eveything needed to maintain a home. So the boys had to do dishes, cook, mop, do laundry, etc. And the girls had to mow the lawn, walk the dogs, paint the fence, etc..
SSs don't have chores per say
SSs don't have chores per say. The expectation is that they take care of their belongings and surroundings as a member of the household. Beyond that they can choose from some specific tasks to earn money or screen time.
What falls into their minimum expectations:
Bedroom: make their beds, put their books away correctly, fold and put away their laundry
Playroom: Everything gets put away when you're done with it. Shoved in a drawer doesn't count as put away
Their bathroom: Wipe down the counter, swiffer the floor, brush the toilet, empty their tiny garbage can on trash night. Their cleaning supplies consist of a water/vinegar mix. Chemical cleaning is left to the adults.
Kitchen: unpack their lunch boxes and put them away, tupperware or silverware into the sink. Clear their setting from any meal, dishes into the sink.
Where they want to help:
YSS is all about the laundry. Both washer and dryer are up on pedestals so he can barely reach buttons. He does like to help load/unload though if he catches you doing laundry.
YSS also oh so wishes he had animal related chores. They have a dog and cat at their mom's house that, based on their own stories, they don't behave appropriately with. So my dogs are off limits.
OSS likes to help with anything outside. Typically he'll volunteer for anything with the leaf blower (electric). He will also choose to wipe down baseboards or swiffer dusting as an extra if he's feeling ambitious.
They will both help take trash and recycling to the end of the driveway if things aren't too heavy. They'll also grab the mail. Neither is done by themselves (the driveway is a couple hundred feet) but they ask us to go rather than us asking them.
Both boys are over 5 and under 10. They are with us 50/50. Biggest gripe from them is folding and putting away their laundry - it takes them too long they say. (Probably because they are typically horsing around instead of folding clothes and they tend to save it all for Saturday).
They do not have chores or any similar requirements at their mom's house. She cleans up after them for everything and is perplexed by the fact that they (mostly) willingly pitch in around the house.
I think a lot of the chore lists are a good starting point but there is a lot that depends on the kid's physical ability and their maturity.
Thanks for all your feedback.
Thanks for all your feedback. It's interesting to see the different perspectives and it's appreciated.
Lol
I think majority of these thing can be and are appropriate, some with adult supervision and some on their own.
im laughing because my entitled, spoiled, no common sense SS9. DOES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! Heaven forbid he lift a finger beside play games or being up on his cellphone! I tried to talk with DH letting him know that SS should be responsible for general personal chores (clean room, make up bed, pick up his own mess, wash ip, shower and put his clothes away) but lord... I was made out to be the bad guy when mentioning these things. Never looked at in a positive manner that I care that he should be more responsible of his own belongings and his personal hygiene. Even asking to wash his grimy hands before and after meals I was given dirty looks. Like what the fuck?!?
I asked DH if he can throw garbage out and it's literally not the hardest job. But even then I got backlash of "why am I always picking on his son?!?" I'm like uhm "excuse me?!"
I swear this child will grow up to be a loser and incapable of doing anything in his adult life! Child can't even do homework without crying and it's sad! Lol