Chores for 15 year old teenage boy?

Question

Yesterday I gave the boy two chores. Clean our 3 exterior man doors with 409 and wash sponge off the sliding window tracks where they collect dirt. My wife thought this was inappropriate and that I should do it. I did and it took about 15 minutes total. She also stated that I was unfair to have him sponge off the white baseboards in the house twice a year, about a 20 minute job. I don't get it. I think she is babying him.

Answer 1

She is being totally unreasonable. My 6 year old son has chores as does most children. He has to tidy his room up if he messes it. And I help him if he helps me with the odd thing round the house like holding the basket whilst i hang out the washing. He thinks its great most the time because we are helping each other. He also likes to help cook and sometimes we make cakes together and he loves helping his dad out with fixing cars. We are teaching him valid lessons in life. He isnt lazy, he has his own standards of hygiene and eats healthy. He knows that as a family we need to work together.. and not take each other for granted..him giving his share of help means in turn gives us more time to play and help with his homework. You all need to have a chat and pull yourselves together as a family unit. And let your 15 year old have his say to. If you can work this out. its so worth it i assure you. help, trust, communicate and respect each other and learn to share.. you are meant to be part of a family. something special.. act like it..

Answer 2

Well being a 15 year old myself, I am expected to wash dishes, clean room/make bed, vaccuum occassionaly and put garbage out, help out in the kitchen at dinner time, take care of pets, and any other chores my parents request. My mom usually leaves me a list everyday when she's at work of things that need done. A good curfew time could be between 9-10:30 on weekends and 8-9 on normal nights. I think a mom should not have to do all the chores so she should make lists of chores for each member in the family to do so everyone shares the load. For allowance I think it should go by how many chores were done. Maybe 5 -10 dollars a week is good for a start and increasing if more chores are done. Good luck with what you're doing. :D

Answer 3

Your wife is in the wrong, however the two of you need to sit down and decide what chores ARE appropriate for a boy turning into a young man. The chores you suggested seemed like good ones to me.

He should have chores that are done regularly... taking out the garbage, mowing the lawn, keeping room clean, dishes, vacuuming, whatever, as well as the extra chores that need doing and that you need help with.
Just make sure any other kids you have all share equally and in an age appropriate way with chores too. There should be some kind of reward too... not necessarily money, but they should know when they've done well.

Chores are about responsibility, being part of a family and learning about what ,makes a house tick. They're not about slavery - not what you were thinking I don't believe..

Your wife needs to learn this too.

Answer 4

Well all boys need their mothers to teach them certain things in life, and then when they get older, it's time for Dad to take over and teach them what they will have in front of them in the work force. Making a child do chores only prepares them for the future, and he will be able to get a job real soon. Most of the kids do not know how to follow basic instructions, or do an honest days work, they where never taught. Work along side of him if you must to show him how it's done.

Answer 5

You are absolutely Right, She is babying him. Chores and Responsibilities build character and work ethic. This is the true mark of our generation gap between the younger generation. You need to sit down and speak to your wife about this. Your son is going to be 18 in a few years. An adult, a Man. If you dont start teaching him responsibilty now then before you know it you will be taking care of him and cleaning up after him for MANY years to come. I would say Put your foot down on this issue. This is something that will not kill him. It teaches him to take pride in himself and his property. It also it tells him if he wants something he is going to have to work for it. That's the way of the world, he better start getting used to it. It is time to teach him these things, if you don't well he is going to have it real hard in later years.

Answer 6

Yeah, she is. By doing that, she's hurting him more than helping him out. My son is 5 1/2, and his chores are--clean his room, pick the toys up from the living room before bed, and keep his movies neat and orderly. His reward for those chores are keeping his tv in his room so he can watch those movies, a new $5-$10 toy every other week, and McDonalds every other Friday. Another condition is that he stay out of trouble at school and on the bus. Considering he's 5 yrs old, he's pretty responsible. I rarely have to tell him to throw his trash away, put his bike where it goes, and he does good at school. He values his toys and bike more, because when he fails to do what he needs to, things get taken away. (he was grounded from his tv last year because of poor behavior at school) Kids need responsibility when they're young, and when they get older, they will be less likely to get in trouble, and will respect boundries more than a child that has their parents (or parent) doing everything for them. If your wife continues to bail your son out of household chores and overall responsibility now, she might find herself having to bail him out of jail later.

Answer 7

Well that's odd....you should ask her how is ever going to grow into a man if she keeps treating him like a boy? Then ask her what chores she thinks are appropriate.

Answer 8

he need to learn everything so he will be able to help his wife in the future, no woman need a man who don't help around the house. women also do not need mama boys.

Answer 9

I would tell the wife to give him a kitchen job because she won't let go of the apron strings............

Answer 10

No doubt..jeez one has to wonder whom is sleeping with whom in that household.......