Helping out around the house
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I’ve been thinking about chores lately. Our kids don’t really have any set chores right now at age two and five, but I’m starting to rethink that. It’s not that they get to eat peeled grapes with their feet up while I sweat up a storm cleaning around them all day long. They do clean up, they just don’t have specific jobs. I’ll ask my oldest to make her bed, my youngest will help pick up toys and put them back in their proper baskets in the living room (while singing the Barney “clean up” song at the top of her lungs). They’re not super ecstatic to clean up that often, although they both love to be handed either a dry or damp cloth to dust or wipe things, but they will usually do what they’re asked even if it means some grumbling.
I’m wondering though if we’d be better off assigning specific chores to each of them. Technically, my youngest could already have a chore of her own since she almost always helps me transfer wet clothes into the dryer.
What works in your home? Do your kids just do whatever is needed or do they have set chores? What jobs do they do and what age are they? Do you use a chore chart or some sort of game type system to make it fun and challenging?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! If you use an online source for charts, please let me know so I can check it out!
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POSTED IN: Keeping House
4 opinions for Helping out around the house
Kirsetin
May 6, 2008 at 8:06 am
At two and five, I say get out the swiffer! I have three boys and it took me AGES to figure out a chore system that worked for us. I tried charts, but found that I didn’t always have laundry ready to be put away on the day it was assigned… In the end, I bought posterboard, cut it into rectangles & drew pictures of chores (because they couldn’t read, yet!). Then I laminated them and bought 3 big magnetic clips for the fridge. Every day, I sort through the chores, choose a couple for each child, put them in their clips, and off we go. The best thing is that the chores are custom-made for our lives so they don’t include anything like polishing silver! Good luck.
Melitsa
May 8, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Just recently for my ds 5th birthday did we assign him chores. Just like you both boys help out and do it when asked. We wanted to start thinking of pocket money and earning money and being responsible now he’s 5. All the chores he’s doing now he did before. After preschool, when he gets home he does them or at the right time. His chores are setting the table ( his brother,2, has decided he’ll get the cups), keeping the toilet roll holder filled in the guest toilet, making his bed , hanging up any of his clothes lurking in his room. He’s happy to do other chores but sees these as his chores. We’re trying to foster a family team spirit as we all pull our weight and things get done.
I photographed him doing the chore and printed a chore chart. Not that he needs it but it’s a great reminder and he likes to look at it.
The little guy is happy to hand me the wet laundry to hand to dry and will happily ’sweep’ forever. He gets the idea and loves to be involved.
Angelique
May 9, 2008 at 5:00 am
We operated on a loosey-goosey, as-needed basis. If my son can help, he does; if he can’t (he’s four-and-a-half), my husband and I do it.
I’m not overly disciplined when it comes to cleaning, so I think this is a result of my nature. It’s by no means the most efficient way to teach responsibility! (At least I’m honest, right?)
Teresa
May 14, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I have a 7 year old daughter and 4 year old son who usually do house chores willingly. They are used to folding & putting away their own clothes, cleaning up after themselves, sometimes setting the table, sweeping, and dusting with a feather duster. Sometimes they even vacume the carpet although the vacume is too big for them to hold up and the floor never gets clean, but I let them do it anyway because it will get clean as they get older and stronger.
I am starting something new for the summer: Job jars. I have 3 jars. One jar for my son’s jobs and one jar for my daughter’s jobs and one jar for activities and academics. They will have to pick out one job each day from their own job jar and then they can take turns drawing the activity or academic skill out of the other jar to do together (such as a treasure hunt). I want this jar to have a lot of fun things in it so they have something to look forward to.
Each kid will have the exact same jobs listed in each job jar (so there are no gender specific chores at our house) but they will each have a turn to do each chore. When they have gone through all of the chores I will put them back in again to start over.
Some jobs listed in the jars are: pull weeds, set table at dinner, sweep off patio, shake rugs, dust, clean off bathroom sink, choose 3 toys from toybox that you don’t play with anymore to give to charity, help mom cook dinner, unload dishwasher…
Good luck & let me know how it goes!
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