Tips For Getting Kids To Do Chores [Also Age Appropriate Chores]
How To Do Chores The Fun Way
So you have kids and you want them to learn some responsibility at home and how things run by doing chores and helping around the home. The integral part of learning life lessons is to learn it from home and make sure they can one day take care of themselves. A great way to do this is by having them do chores at home.
Chores are a great way to teach your kids so many excellent life lessons. It really does teach them the importance of personal responsibility, the art of how to set a goals and to reach them, and how to do certain things that will definitely improve their life as they get older.
So how do you know what is age appropriate for your child? I can help by showing you what tasks your kids can do whether they are toddlers, teenagers or any age in between.
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Tips For Getting Kids Excited To Do Chores
Ok so lets take a moment to discuss chores, why you want your kids to do them and what they should be doing? You might struggle with the thought of your kids doing chores or even what is enough and what is too much for them to do, remember they are still kids and should not be told to do everything around the house because you are too lazy yourself.
That is not the point of chores and I struggle with this fact as I don’t like seeing 10 year olds having to look after sibling, do the ironing, vacuuming, cooking, cleaning and so on just because parents cannot be bothered themselves. Kids need to be kids.
Yes I do believe kids will learn so much from doing chores they will set them up for their future in being responsible, independent humans. Just remember kids study all day at school or home-school, they have sports or after school activities and they get tired! Chores should only be a few minutes a day or a week.
This is going to be one of the struggles you face, once you know what chores your child is able to handle at his or her current age. Remember to keep trying and not give up on your child, as one of these methods is going to help your child understand that chores are part of their personal responsibility and not just something mom or dad will do if they to do it themselves.
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Must Remain Consistent
One of the most important things to remember when you want your kids to do their chores, is to remain consistent. Don’t do the cleaning up for them if they take too long or don’t want to do it.
If you told your pre-teen son to put his folded sports clothes away, leave it there until he does it. If you have rules about consequences of not doing chores, see them through.
Your kids will soon learn Dad & Mom means business and they need to keep up with these responsibilities.
Should You Start Chores at a Young Age?
Staring kids young with chores is a good idea as a common mistake many parents make because they are not sure what chores kids can do at certain ages is waiting too long to have kids do chores.
You can have kids as young as 2 or 3 do certain things that just simple things like picking up toys, will get them used to the practice of doing chores. Start them young, and it will be easier to get them to do chores as they get older.
Don’t Stress About Being Them Doing Them Perfect
Effort is the most important thing giving it a go, trying, your child is not going to do the chores perfect every time, but that does not matter just trying is most important.
You can supervise some of these tasks so that you know if something needs to be re-done when they leave the room, such as a kid doing dishes and not cleaning something all the way.
However, with things like folding laundry and making the bed, don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. If you judge them for this, they will lose all motivation to keep doing chores.
Keep Praising Them
Make sure your kids know that they are doing a good job. Children really want to do good and it helps tremendously when you can recognize their efforts.
Every time they do a chore on their own without being asks, do it correctly, or keep up with the chore chart you have created, praise them and let them know they did a fantastic job.
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Consider Offering an Allowance
This is an individual choice, but many parents find that giving their kids an allowance works great. Some parents do feel that this is teaching kids they will get a reward every time they do something that should already be expected, while others believe it teaches them good work ethic for the future.
This is really your choice, but you might want to consider an allowance, at least for older children and teens.
I have been reading a book about this and teaching kids not only about chores but it teaches them about money, how to save and how it give. The book I cannot recommend highly enough.
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✅ Age Appropriate Chore Charts Printables
Chores For Younger Kids
So you as a parent are thinking about chores for your kids but not sure what age to start: When your child reaches about 2 or 3 years old, they are usually old enough to do some smaller chores. This is a good age to get started so they can begin learning personal responsibility.
Keep in mind they won’t be able to do everything themselves, but it is a great age to have them help you with things.
Two and Three Year-Olds
You can have your younger children start helping to pick up their toys and blocks when they’re done playing and start helping you make the bed. They won’t be able to completely do it on their own, but let them assist you while you make it.
Kids at this age should also be able to help with spills, feed the pets with your supervision, and put their dirty clothes in the laundry basket. Kids love mimicking their parents like vacuuming and washing dishes so get them involved.
Four and Five Year-Olds
When they get a little older, they can start doing more things on their own. This includes doing more of making the bed, being responsible for picking up things in the living room and bedroom, and getting dressed on their own.
Children of this age should also be able to help with some things in the kitchen, such as stirring or putting dishes in the dishwasher. They can help outdoors by watering plants, raking leaves and putting them into bags, putting away groceries, and taking dirty dishes from the table and putting them in the sink.
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What School-Aged Children Can Do
By the time your child reaches first or second grade, they should already be comfortable with doing chores and on their way to being capable of doing even more around the house. This includes chores they have already started doing, but now can do without supervision.
Six and Seven Year-Olds
How to get a 7 year old to do chores might be a question on your mind. You should hopefully have them in a routine as kids love routine and if your kids have been doing chores since they were young then you should not have any problem.
Your children should now be able to make their own beds without supervision. It is okay if it isn’t perfect, but this is a good age to stop helping them. Here is a list of other tasks and chores kids at this age can handle:
Chores to do around the house list
* Vacuuming & sweeping
* Folding and putting away laundry
* Writing thank-you notes
* Taking out the trash, with your supervision
* Make own Lunches with your supervision
* Clean their rooms and toy rooms
Ages 8-10
This is a great age because your kid is starting to become more independent. They are choosing their own clothes, helping with laundry and dishes, and hopefully making their bed and cleaning their room each day. You can also add a few more chores, including preparing easy meals completely on their own, making and or helping with their school lunches, washing the car, and cleaning their bathroom.
Chores For Your Pre-Teen
By the time your child reaches their pre-teen stage, which is between 11 and 12 years old, they are doing many things on their own. This is the age where you should expect your son and daughter to start doing their own laundry.
You can still supervise them to make sure they use the right amount of soap and select the right setting, but for the most part, it is a chore they can handle on their own.
Pre-teens can also do the following things themselves:
* Doing the dishes without help
* Change their bed sheets
* Preparing simple family meals
* Dust wood furniture
* Change light bulbs
* Do more yard work, such as pulling weeds or mowing the lawn
* Cleaning windows and mirrors
How Do Chores Teach Responsibility
When you have teenagers in your home, you are starting to prepare them for adulthood. You want to teach them as many basic skills as you can before they reach 18, so that by the time they go to college or move out on their own, they know how to take care of themselves and their home properly.
As teenagers become more independent, they can and should begin to take on more responsibility in the home. This means tackling household chores that are both age-appropriate and safe for them to do
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Teens -13 Year-Olds
For 13 year-olds, you want to start introducing them to life skills, in addition to the chores they have already been doing. Of course keep having them make their bed each morning, do the dishes, and continue working on their own laundry.
However, they should also start doing some things they will need to handle on their own as an adult, such as replacing the bag in the vacuum cleaner, ironing their clothes, mowing the lawn, and possibly even doing some minor repairs around the house.
Aside from changing a light bulb, a 13 year-old can also help with things like hammering nails, as long as they have supervision.
Children 14 and 15 Year-Olds
Continuing with these type of lessons, have your 14 and 15 year-olds do more home chores as well. For example, you can have your son start preparing more elaborate meals from recipes he finds and have him do the grocery shopping for ingredients.
You can let your daughter start babysitting for neighbor kids or wash the outdoor windows in your home. These are life skills that help your teens take care of themselves.
Children 16 and Up
By the time your teens reach 16 or 17 years old, they should be doing everything you are doing. This includes being able to clean out the refrigerator, do any housework or yard work, wash cars, make a grocery list and shop on their own, and do deep cleaning around the house.
This is also a good age to start teaching your teens about financial budgeting if you haven’t already, if you read the Barefoot Investor book then your kids will already be learning this at about 14 and they should be in a fabulous position.
You should be so proud of yourselves as parents as raising kids is hard but raising financially, independent kids is hard but they sure will thank you for it later.
While you kids are still living at home continue introducing new chores to your kids each week and add to the chore chart. there are so many fantastic ones you can buy or make yourself.
They shouldn’t be doing all household duties, but helping out so they can learn how to do things on their own. By the time your teens move out of the house, you feel confident they know what they are doing. and they will be one step ahead of their friends who don’t do chores and learn responsibility.
When kids are independent that is wonderful it takes away the stress of parents for when they move out of home.
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