At what age is it appropiate to make your kids do chores?

Question

What are the kinds of chores they can be doing at certain age groups?

Answer 1

well my daughter is almost 3 and she is in charge of keeping her room and toy room clean and putting clothes in the dirty clothes basket and throwing things away... she helps me clean and we have fun... she also gets paid $20/week so she can buy a toy or something... she likes to help mommy clean and cook... of course i don't let her around my oven but i let her help me mix things and put cookie dough on the cookie sheet!!

i think chores can come as soon as they know how to do stuff, just don't overload them!! don't tell your 5 yr old to clean the house and do the dishes its not fair, the way it works here is when i clean so does my daughter, which we clean every morning so things don't get outta hand... you should always do more than your child

Answer 2

Usually when they are a toddler they love helping. Start with that. Put some plastic dishes in the sink and let them wash dishes. Let them help fold towels. They can pick up toys and even dust. Of course, don't expect the chores to be done very well. Each child is different, but by six or seven, they should be able to pick up doggy poo and take out garbage also. It should all start with them helping first and as they learn, turn them loose when you think it is time. Praise them for the good job they've done and maybe throw in a reward now and then. For instance, after a bit of yard work you could go out for a rootbeer float. When they get to be around twelve though, they will probably start to complain in a major way. Don't let them get away with it. My aunt had four boys and all of them had spotless homes when they got older. Remember, you are doing them a disservice by not teaching them how to do chores, how to cook, do laundry, etc.

Answer 3

I started teaching my kids at age 1 to pick up their toys, I turned it into a game, then you gradually move to picking up clothes. My daughter at age 4 was loading and unloading the dishwasher( safe things only) setting the table with plate, spoons, forks, and bowls. All my kids ( ages 5, 7, 12) keep their rooms clean, vacuum, take care of the animals, do dishes, sweep and help with laundry. They get taken out to a movie on Sundays if all the chores are done without incident, and they don't get allowance for regular household chores.

Answer 4

The first chore is usually to pick up toys after play. The next one I chose was to teach them to make their bed. They learned how to do a decent job at five. At seven, one wanted to learn to vacuum so I taught them. Next was cleaning the tub, etc. If they don't do well, continue to show them the correct way. They may complain but it teaches them responsibility and work ethics, they will brag about what they can do eventually. All children are different, my neighbor has a ten year old daughter that doesn't do anything except : expect, expect, expect, and whine, whine, whine until she gets. She is also a poor sport with a generally bad attitude.

Answer 5

I started with my son a little over one years old. We would do it together at first with little songs for inspiration and then a snack afterwards, and then gradually when he got older, I would let him do more and more, until he was cleaning his room by himself. He is going on 8 years old now and he sometimes still sings those songs to make the time go by faster. Give your child the inspiration in doing it and tell him/her what a good job they did, otherwise, you will have a child that will have no motivation in doing a chore or some other task.

Answer 6

pickup up things at 2 years or so. Doing actual chores we have usually started that around age 5 with our kids. The amount and level of responsibility has increased with age.

Answer 7

My son is 20 months old and he already helps me put away his toys. It's never too early to have your kids do chores, but of course they have to be age appropriate.

A 2 year old isn't going to be doing his own laundry, but there is no reason a 10 year old can't.

Answer 8

As soon as my boy would walk he was taught to clean up after himself. While he doesn't have a regular chore schedule yet...he's 3...he knows:
-before bed he has to clean up his toys
-if he wants to change activites he has to tidy up the first one
-basically if he makes a mess he has to clean it up
-if we are cleaning he immediately wants to help so I give him a Swifter duster and he dusts the low spots
-when its garbage time he runs around & grabs the smaller garbages & brings them to be emptied
-when the dishwasher needs to be emptied he helps unload the clean dishes

I think the best judge is seeing what your child is capable of...you'd never ask a 5 year old to mow the lawn but he could help pick up leaves.
I started getting my boy to help from a very young age & now he always wants to help. I know it won't last forever & one day I'll have to bribe him to do his chores but at least I can remember the "good ol days".

Answer 9

I remember helping my mom w/ dishes when I was about 6yrs old and wanting to help w/ cleaning chores even younger. I know I made a huge mess whenever I helped w/ dishes. But it's good to let your children help even when it's not really helping you out. Encourage them ... my daughter has been wanting to "help" w/ cooking and cleaning since she was about 14months old. I pull up a chair to the counter and give her something to do while I'm cooking. She loves to help clean the floors so I give her a wet cloth and let her wash the floors even. She's 20months now and any time I'm in the kitchen she's yelling 'help! help!'... she's excited to help mom...lol I even let her help unload the dishwasher... well just the spoons, and forks, she tosses them in the drawer and she looks so proud of herself. As long as the chore is age appropiate, then I say let them help out. It will help them when their older and on their own as well!!

Answer 10

My kids have been doing things since they were toddlers. When they are toddlers, they can help you pick up their toys. When they get a little older they can keep their rooms picked up and make their beds. The end result may not look as neat as you would like, but it is good to let them get into the practice of doing these things. Praise them when they put forth a good effort for their age. Don't expect perfection.

It is also a good idea to teach them that families are teams that help one another.