I have 5 kids 9,7,6,4, and 1 years old. The 3 older kids go to school from 7:30am to 6pm Monday to Friday. What can I expect them to do to help me around the house. With my speachial needs baby I can't keep up on the house but feel bad about trying to get the kids to do chores after they come home. My husband is not any help.
What do you think? Thanks all.
2007-02-05 14:33:27 · 20 answers · asked by tishniaeq069696 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
nope teaches them resposibility
2007-02-05 14:36:54 · answer #1 · answered by mommyofanangel06 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I assume you work outside the home as well? If so, then you should expect help from your husband, and some help from the kids as well. I am wondering why they go to school nearly 12 hours??? Since they are gone so long, they surely need time to do homework, but still need a few chores to learn responsibility. Hubby does too. However, if you are a stay at home mom, then you should be able to handle the workload. Good luck
2007-02-05 22:42:36 · answer #2 · answered by s w 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i wouldn't feel bad about giving the kids more responsibility - especially as that will lighten the load on you plus help them feel part of the family more
i have just one child who is 8 and we have been training him to help since he could walk.
age 2 we would ask him to put knives and forks on the table ready for the meal
age 3 he was volunteering to help scrub floors and clean windows
age 4 he was willing and able to feed the cats when we asked him
age 5 - showing an interest in the cooking occasionally
...
age 8 he feeds the kittens and get the milk from the doorstep every morning plus in the evenings puts himself to bed now that he can read his own stories. does deliveries with me when i deliver the local newspaper
kids tend to raise their abilities to the level of adult expectations and unless it is dangerous (like ironing and using sharp knives) then kids can do almost as much as adults can (just needing a little adult organization)
i think also your husband ought to set your kids a better example than he is and help out even if he works long hours as having a special needs baby can be very hard work in itself.
the other 4 kids are old enough to do chores - make it fun - award points and give rewards if needed
2007-02-05 23:18:30 · answer #3 · answered by Aslan 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A family is a TEAM and your children have a responsibilty to help out around the house. You shouldn't feel bad about asking that they help - because it's a necessary part of life. They *do chores* at school - like putting their chairs back, throwing away their trash, returning toys and books, etc - so why should it be any different at home?
Simple things like making their beds, clearing the table, taking out the garbage, dusting and even sorting laundry are things that even the four year old can do, while things like vacuuming, sweeping and washing and drying dishes are things that the older kids can do to help you out.
You don't have to act like a drill sargent, but you can do things that make the chores seem like fun. Lots of praise and the occasional reward works wonders.
I work as a family daycarer ( working from home) and ALL my kids know the rules ...... YOU play with it or use it, and YOU put it where it belongs when you're done.... Put your chair back when you've finished eating, and put your dishes on the counter top....throw your garbage in the bin, etc. I've got a 14 month old putting her toys away right now, so that we can all sit down together and have a snack as soon as the baby wakes up. The look on her face when I clap my hands and praise her always makes me feel teary !!
Your husband needs to help out more and the kids need to see him pulling his weight as well. They're not just your kids - they're his too.
Tell him you're going to call in Super Nanny or something - or register to go on * Wife Swap*, and I bet he starts doing more around the house!!
I hope this helps, and that the kids start helping you out !
2007-02-05 22:56:04 · answer #4 · answered by Kate 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
chores are fine as long as you don't expect to much. after all, they are just kids. mine have a chart & earn checks for each thing done. at the end of the week they get a star (sticker) for each chore they do atleast 5 times a week. if they get atleast 7-8 stars, they get $5.00. you may want to use candy b/c of the # of kids you have. they are simple choers like, clean room, put dished in the sink, homework, ext. hope this helps. let me tell you, these small chories help me alot. :)
2007-02-05 23:04:43 · answer #5 · answered by rblankenship_rblankenship 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think you can expect the oldest to help with the younger ones, and try to start the younger ones on chores earlier. I grew up not doing chores, so now my parents expect me to do chores and im not used to it and it is harder to get me to do it. I say let the kids come home and chill for about an hour, then get them to do little things, pick up their rooms, the living room, set the table, and then get them to do bigger chores as they get older. As for your husband, i think he is a slacker, or at least that is what i get from you saying he is "no help". Talk to him about it, tell him you need help and have him start with little things too. Changing a diaper here and there, start dinner. Hope this helped!!
2007-02-05 22:41:37 · answer #6 · answered by ♥ ☮ ☺ ♫ 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think you're overwhelmed. Is there a social service or church that could help with childcare for your baby, so you could clean or have some time to yourself? The older kids could help for an hour on weekends, if everyone chipped in together. That's just part of being a family. Ah, that DOES include DAD, who at LEAST could take care of the baby for an hour.
2007-02-05 22:39:43 · answer #7 · answered by momof2 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the husband needs to help and just hang in there you have 9 7 and 6 force them to clean or get them out of the house and just one day put the kids except the baby and go somewhere/like shopping for an hour come back and see if the dad has done/helped the house or the child, hire a maide service or day care the childern.
2007-02-05 22:38:29 · answer #8 · answered by Britanie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe that a family has responsibilities to eachother and everybody should take part in caring for the home to the best of their ability.
My 4 year old helps to straigten, sets the table, clears her own dishes and helps in other household tasks when the need arises.
My 17 month old gets his own dishes out of the kids' drawer and we lift him to the sink after he eats so he can put them in.
2007-02-05 22:39:26 · answer #9 · answered by Kari 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My mom has made me do work in the past, Im 17 now, and she got laid off so she needs the extra help too in between jobs, and Im kind of in a support the family role, so I think doing small chores helped me for what Im doing right now. You never know how much it could be helping your kid. It may sound weird, but I now appreciate the value of work my parents gave me. It kind of helps to give a small reward too, nothing huge, just know there working for something material, even if it is to help you. Hope this helps.
2007-02-05 22:38:40 · answer #10 · answered by D.Z. Carter 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
that's good for them as long as you don't over do it, it sounds like they have a very , very long school day, You need to sit down with your hubby, if you have a special needs child, he needs to help out more, maybe your local church could be of service, sometimes they will have volunteers who could come sit with your child a few hours a day so you could get some things done, it is worth looking into, I'm sure you could use some help and adult conversation, good luck
2007-02-06 00:55:43 · answer #11 · answered by melissa s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋