I know a lot of you do chore charts/sticks & I am ready to implement chore sticks in our home. Our son loves to help out where possible, but I'm at a loss as to what chores we should give him. He is 6, and we have no pets....so right now all he does is rinse dishes after meals....any other ideas???
Well Grace is 7 and she makes her bed, gets the trash from the trash cans in different rooms to put in the big can to take out, wipes her bathroom counter down each morning with a clorox wipe after brushing her teeth, feeds to dog (now dogs) and just generally picks up after herself like clearing her dishes and things like that. Oh and she also puts all her own laundry away after I wash and fold it.
My 5 year old feeds and waters the dog, washed the dining room table, cleans his bathroom sink, tub, counter, mirror, cleans his room, makes his bed, dumps bathroom trash cans into the kitchen trash can, sweeps dining room floor, puts away plastic dishes, and silverware (not knives). My 7 year old cleans kitty litter, feeds the cat, cleans the rat cage, vaccuums his room, cleans his room, sweeps and mops his bathroom floor, puts away laundry, mops dining room floor, makes his bed, and puts away plastic dishes and silverware (no knives) They also do other tasks but with help like: running the washer/dryer, vacuuming the living room floor, dusting(mostly unsupervised, I just tell them where they missed), cleaning their bathroom toilet, folding laundry, taking out the trash to the dumpster (I don't trust them to cross the parking lot).
It's funny, I started a thread to ask what age people's children are and what chores they do, and before I could post it dinner was ready. You know what they say, "Great minds think a like."
My kids are 7 and 5. They have to pick up their toys. Put laundry in the laundry room.( I am working on son who can now reach to start the laundry). Unload dishwasher, make sure the toys I have put on the stairs are put away, feed and water pets, wipe mirrors, wipe bathroom counter, make beds, put shoes aways (they have a bad habit of leaving them all over the front enterance.) clear dishes from table after every meal. And that's about it for now. They have tried vacuuming but the upright is a bit too hard yet lol. And they don't have to do all the chores everyday. I like it tidy so when it's out of hand I will remind them of their chores. Some days it's just too hot to do much right now. We have a really humid city so breathing can become an issue for my son who has asthma. So I always watch for cues that they aren't really up to too many chores that day. They love to help with the 'other' chores but when it becomes routine they seem to lose interest. So I occasionally add a chore here or there more of a request then a must do. Like wipe the table and chairs down. Or help scrub the floors.
18 yo. ~ Take care of dogs, floors (vacuum, sweep, mop), clean off plates after every meal, keep ice trays filled, keep room clean, dust things 13 yo can't reach standing on the floor, help with laundry when asked, help dad in yard, unload dish washer every other day, takes out trash 13 yo ~ Clean off table and load dish washer, unload every other day, set the table, dust, clean bathrooms, clean glass door, help with laundry when asked, helped dad in yard, empties small trash cans in to large one 4.5 yo ~ helps keep room cleaned up, make bed, unloads silver ware, helps feed the dogs, and helps set the table 2.5 yo ~ helps keep room cleaned up
My son (4 in Nov) puts his dishes in the sink (and often ours), puts his games and toys away, and when it is cleaning time he helps us out.
Here are somethings my kids have done since age 6: help fold socks, take out light garbage, take out recycling, water plants, set/clear table, empty dishwasher (first just top, then bottom, then load as they got older), help clean out car, dust using a microfiber dusting rag, clean up room (one item at a time, clean up all your books and put them back on the bookcase . . .etc.) make bed, clean up shoes (they are always in a huge pile by the front door! the bane of my existence!) Those are just some things - a lot also depends on your home, your child's abilities, and your comfort level!
Take out garbage, keep his own room clean, help with dishes and setting the table, running the sweeper, dusting
My kids are three and almost 2, and I have implemented a sticker chart. It seems all they need is a sticker and a round of applause to feel totally absorbed in self confidence and giddyness! lol. Bo (3)- pick up toys, pick up trash, poop in the potty (it's hard for him to do sometimes, so if he knows he gets a sticker then it's easier.), take a nap (only for this week since dad is training and is home during naps), putting dirty dishes in the sink, picking up his own dirty laundry, and making his bed. Patryk (2) - He helps pick up toys, pick up trash, and his dirty clothes. He also gets a sticker everytime for completing his therapy everyday. It;s sort of a reward chart, mixed w/ a chore chart I suppose. It really works, and this makes them responsible for their own things, and gives them a sense of pride in cleaning the house and helping mom. Plus, when Daddy comes home to a clean house and I say that they helped they get extra extra EXTRA wrestling time w/ dad :roll:
Almost 5 - Takes out the recycle bin on trash day, puts away his own dishes (and sometimes his brother's), puts away his laundry after I wash it, brings his laundry to the laundry room to be washed on wash day, cleans up his room and any messes he (they) make in the school room or play room, sometimes feeds the dogs, usually carries bags or mail in from the car, generally does whatever I ask him to do at the moment... could be anything. He's always been a helper unless he's had a long day or something. Almost 2 - Sometimes puts his dishes in the sink, sometimes picks up things, sometimes puts things in the trash, but usually just gives me lots of attitude or ignores me. He's the punk of the house. We're already in the teen years, I think.
All: Cook, clean up after themselves, clean their rooms, poop duty, taking trashcans down to the end of the driveway, puts away clean clothes 11 yo: Dust mops, takes out the trash, feeds and lets out the dogs, cleans the laundry room 13 yo: Cleans the pool, dishes, kitchen counters, organizes fridge and pantry as needed 14 yo: Cleans the bathroom and schoolroom, laundry (wash/dry/fold/hang)
ages 9-12 unload the dishwasher, (shorties don't put up plates) load and unload washer and dryer, vaccume, make tea or Kool-aid, cat food, cat box, bring the big garbage cans to and from the curb, dust, water flowers outside I don't like them to load the dishwasher because I can fit more in MY way. I don't let malcolm put the soap in the laundry because he uses too much. But Malcolm is the trash guy.
My 6 and 3 year old both at times: Help rinse dishes as I hand wash, load dishwasher, unload dishwasher, wipe table, wipe counters, sweep (rather I sweep and they sweep the pile into the dust pan and dump it in the trash), mop, wipe down chairs, wipe down walls/doors, clean sliding glass door, clean bathroom (clorox wipe and a toilet brush with no cleaner in the toilet-gets done daily-so it's something they can do alone one day and the bathroom is still clean even if they don't do it perfect), I don't let them vacuum-though my 6 year old probably could-but I have a Kirby vacuum cleaner so I don't let them touch it! LOL, pick up toys, clean their room, help cook, help with laundry (into wash, into dryer, out of dryer and put away-I do all the folding), empty trash cans, clean out van.....
