What are some good chores for a 6 yeard old a 2 year old?

Question

I'm trying to teach my children responsibility. I need help with some ideas of chores that each of them can do. Also what kind of allowance would be appropriate for each. I'm also thinking about doing a behavior chart for both of them...what would be a good way to do that too?

I want to teach them responsibilty. Both of my kids are very smart and can do just about anything asked of them. My 2 year old already picks up his own toys and somewhat makes his bed. I also want a behavior chart...Need ideas for that also.

Answer 1

The 2 year old would be a day to day thing. What ever you can get him/her to do. The 6 year old can empty the trash cans around the house, clear the table, wipe up spills. As for the behavior chart, if the 6 year old is in school see if they have one there you can model after. This will provide consistency, and be easier for the child to understand. My personal opinion on allowance is that kids should only get payed for doing extra things, not stuff they are supposed to do, like clean their room. My kids ask what they can do to earn money, and they still help out from time to time with out asking for money. I also offer to pay them, if I need help, and I feel it's going beyond what their normal chores are.

Answer 2

Two year olds can help sort laundry (darks/whites), help fold towels or help put toys away. Six year olds can do a whole bunch of stuff and they *want* to help, especially if it's done together and in a positive way. Loading and unloading the dishwasher is good (you may have your own rules about dishes/knives/etc. that he can touch, my own 6 yr old has been putting away (and respects) sharp objects for over a year -- but it's to your discretion). Gathering the trash (together) is good, dusting with a feather duster, sweeping the floor (swifters are good for that, and they can see how much dirt there is). Setting the table is good, too -- for both ages (younger could be in charge of napkins, for example). My six year old also helps me by putting the clothes in the washer, along with the soap and the fabric softener which he measures out. He helps put the clothes in the dryer and loves to set the dial and turn it on. He puts most of his own clothes away, too, but if he's tired, I'm always there to pitch in if needed. Working together always makes the chores go quickly, and not seem so burdensom. When they are little a room full of toys seems like a huge effort. Try not to over-correct your children when they are learning to help -- it is tempting to want to immediately correct them so they learn, but the opposite happens, they learn that they can't do it right, and so the novelty wears off and they don't want to help anymore. Using a timer for "10 minutes of pick up time -- ready, set, go!" also helps for little ones.

I haven't started an allowance yet, and to be honest, I'm torn whether to tie it to chores -- because to me, working in the house is a responsibility of all people who live in the house. I don't think an allowance should be "no strings attached" -- but I do think that once they get an allowance, certain expectations should be upheld, and they should use the money for more than just items for themselves. I also want my son to learn to manage money better that I did when I was a child, so he already has three envelopes he puts money in "Gifts" "Now" "Long Time Savings" so that he understands that if he wants a video, he might have to wait awhile before he gets the money to get it. Several articles I've read recently on this are included.

Behavior charts are ok for some, but again, there is a reward usually for finishing one, and shouldn't we expect good behavior as a rule, and if a child has a melt-down, a temper tantrum, or whatever, perhaps a reprimand is necessary, but let them know that tomorrow is a new day, and maybe they'll do better tomorrow? Everyone will have different ideas about this. I guess I am more of a logical consequences kind of person -- if a child is acting up in a public place, we leave (or at least do a time out in the car). more information in the links below.

Whatever you choose -- it's good that you are thinking about these things now. As I said, everyone will have different ways to do things and there isn't a right way or a wrong way -- how you were brought up, the way you feel about certain issues will help you shape the way you parent -- you need to find the ways that fit you and your childrens' personalities best. Good Luck!

Answer 3

My 14 month old helps unload the dishwasher - he has learned how to hand things to me (when I'm loading it, I have to make sure he's busy elsewhere cause he's only learned to take things out!). He also thinks he's helping with laundry. However, my 3 year old can help fold laundry, feeds the cats, also helps load the dishwasher, makes her bed and picks up her toys. She dusts the furniture and cleans the fronts of the stove and fridge (cheap sprays or water bottles work wonders for this and keeps her busy). I have a chore chart for her and it has pictures on it (from the computer) of a sink, toys, clothes, turtle and bathtub. Then every day she knows she has to help with the dishes, pick up her toys, put her clothes in the laundry or help with laundry, feed her turtles and take a bath (wish I'd remembered to add a toothbrush!). She puts a sticker below the picture each day when she does her chore. Then she gets a quarter or ice cream or whatever I have on hand when all the stickers are there. I think this would also work for a 6 year old. I don't have too many chores around the house that little kids can't help with. Mine help with everything from cooking, cleaning, whatever I'm doing, they're with me. Takes twice as long but the benefits are rewarding. You get more time with them, and my two older boys can do laundry from start to finish (they're 12 and 14), and can cook without recipes, boxes or cans. They're also so used to doing chores since I started them young, that they just automatically do them every day (well, most of the time). They're also old enough that their chore lists are geared so if they skip something, then someone else can't do their chores so they see how their negligence reflects on others. Example: unloading the dishwasher - I can't reload until they've done their part. So if they see dishes sitting in the sink, they know something was missed. Anyway, I think it's wonderful that you're giving them responsibility. It's frustrating when my boys are the only ones in our neighborhood that have chores.

Answer 4

The 6 yo can do alot, clean thier room, unload a dishwasher, set the table at dinner, any basic chore

as for the 2 yo other than picking up thier room maybe help you sort the dirty clothes before washing, there is alot of stuff that just could harm a 2 year old that at 6 they know better

as for an allowance at 2 do they really have a concept of money maybe a quarter a chore

the 6 yo double it to 50 cents / chore

Answer 5

At 2 the only thing I asked my son to do was put his toys back where he got them and he helped me put his clothes away. He knew where his socks and underwear went so that's what he helped with.

At 6 he was unloading the dishwasher (not putting away the dishes other than the silverware) cleaning his room, wiping down the dinner table, and straightening his bed. These were easy things that could be done for him.

A great deal of it depends on your child as well, I believe those ages are able to complete those tasks but some children differ and need more help if their hand/eye coordination isn't quite what it needs to be to unload a dishwasher etc...

I would give them a little bit of allowance again, I can only go by what I did. At 6 my son got 3 dollars a week. 1 dollar to spend how he pleased, 1 dollar went to savings piggy bank, and the other dollar to a charity collection bank we have at home. (At the end of the year we choose who we're going to donate the money too, it gives the children a great sense of duty and accomplishment to see that their hard earned money is going to help someone less fortunate)

Answer 6

My kids have as many chores as their age. My seven year old has 7 chores. They are: cleaning up toys (both her room and the play areas), making her bed, setting the table, putting her laundry away, fetching the newspaper from the driveway every morning, dusting our wood staircase, and clearing the table after meals. My 2 year old has just cleaning up toys and setting the table so far. She's almost 3 and will get a new chore added to her list soon.

Answer 7

For both, pick up their toys, you will have to help the 2yr old.
For your 6 yr old, making the bed and keeping the room tidy. At dinner time helping to set the table.

Also, I think at this age they are to young for an allowance. If you do your chart with the chores listed and give a sticker, flower or what ever you choose a reward for 5 days then let them pick out somthing they would enjoy...take them to the dollar store and pick out a toy or go out for ice cream.

Answer 8

when i was about 5 i used to help my mom dust and clean potatos lol. i also washed the sink and things like that. kind of bizarre tasks, but i liked them.

maybe ask them what they'd like to do?

as for an allowance, i would say taking them to the movies or the arcade at the end of the week if they do their chores and maintain 7 of 10 stickers for the week (you can make a chart with both of their names and 10 stickers next to each name, and when they misbehave or break a clear rule, walk over the the chart and draw an X over one of their stickers with a black marker... if they lose more than 3 in a week then they don't get a treat on the weekend).

good luck!

Answer 9

For the six year old you could ask him to help set the table or help sweep the porch. For the two year old, I think he's too young. As for allowance, when I was a kid, if we did our chores all week then we got to pick a toy out of the treasure chest. They were only toys from the dollar tree, but they were good enough for us.

Answer 10

I think at two years old, chores are not an issue. If anything he can help the older sibling pick up toys. For a 6 year old, they can pick up their toys, keeps their rooms clean, make their bed (as long as perfection isn't an issue) help to set and clear the table.