Chores tend to be time-consuming and tedious, however, they are necessary for any household to run smoothly. It's a given that the adults will do their part around the house, but when it comes to assigning chores to children, there's some debate.
Sometimes parents wonder if they should really give their children chores. After all, isn't it the parents' responsibility to manage the household? And don't children need an opportunity to 'just be kids' for now because they have the rest of their lives to worry about chores?
Many parents want to preserve their children’s childhood for as long as possible, allowing their “kids to be kids” and enjoy plenty of playtime while they’re still young. Others may see children as less capable, preferring to finish the housework as quickly and efficiently as possible on their own. These arguments make sense, but they also overlook the many positive benefits of giving children chores to do around the household.
Giving your child chores may be one of the most important things you will ever do. Children who are given chores tend to learn responsibility and gain important life skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Consider these reasons why children should help out around the house:
1. Chores can help teach life skills.
Your children are young now, but they won't be children forever! Laundry, cooking and budgeting are just some of the skills your children will need once they finally move out of the home. These are also things that schools do not fully teach or expose them to, making learning them at home even more important.
2. Chores can help children learn responsibility and self-reliance.
Assigning children regular chores helps teach them learn the importance of responsibility. Tasks that personally affect your children, such as cleaning their own room or doing their own laundry, can help them become more independent at the same time. Your children or grandchildren may also take pride in being considered to be mature enough to take care of themselves. This will assist in the development of their self-esteem as well.
3. Chores can help teach teamwork.
Being a productive member of a team can be modelled for children through housework. Members of your family “team” are accountable to each other and there are consequences when you don’t meet your agreed upon duties. Learning these lessons at home, where mistakes are more easily forgiven, can help children develop strong teamwork skills to use at school or during their future work career.
4. Chores can help build a strong work ethic.
This trait is valued by teachers and future employers, so why not instil a positive work ethic in your children from a young age? Chores are commonly tied to a reward, such as an allowance or TV time, for example. Paying children for a job well done can also spark an entrepreneurial spirit, inspiring them to work outside the house once they reach an appropriate age.
5. Chores can help improve planning and time management skills.
More often than not, it feels like there are a ton of things to do in the day, and fitting it all into our schedule poses to be a challenge. Chores can help older children and teenagers build good habits early. Juggling their schoolwork, housework and their social lives helps them learn to set priorities and manage their time accordingly which are important skills for the working world.
6. Chores can give families a chance to bond.
People often complain that chores take up time that they could be spending with their children or grandchildren. Chores can actually create special moments between children and parents or grandparents. Families can make completing chores fun by turning it into a competition or a game. You will be surprised at the fun memories made from this bonding ‘session’.
Lots of encouragement keeps children interested in helping around the house. If your child’s first efforts aren’t that great, you can boost his/her chances of success by explaining the chore again. Keep telling your child that they are doing well. This way, they’ll feel rewarded.
In addition to this, linking your child’s chores to their weekly or monthly allowance might lead to bargaining about how much chores are worth. It might also interfere with the idea of doing chores just because everyone in the family has a responsibility to help around the house. However, if your child feels particularly motivated by doing chores for pocket money, go with it. You might even consider giving bonuses for extra chores if your child is saving for something special.
Don't be afraid to give your children chores to do at home. The lessons that they can learn will set a solid foundation for the remainder of their schooling career and they will only be able to build on these skills as they move onto their future work careers.
Age-Appropriate Chores for Children:
Remember that your child may be able to do more than you think. Keep in mind that a child who has mastered a complicated computer game can easily run the dishwasher as well.
On average, toddlers can handle one or two simple one-step or two-step tasks. Older children will definitely manage more.
Here are some examples of chores that your children can do according to their age:
1. Chores for children ages 2 to 3:
- Put their toys away
- Fill your pet's food dish
- Put clothes in the wash basket
- Wipe up any small spills
2. Chores for children ages 4 to 5:
- Make their own bed in the mornings
- Clear the table after a meal
- Water flowers
3. Chores for children ages 6 to 7:
- Sort the laundry
- Sweep the floors
- Dusting their room or play room
- Set and clear the table
- Help make and pack their own lunch
- Keeping their bedroom tidy in general
4. Chores for children ages 8 to 9:
- Load the dishwasher
- Pack away groceries
- Vacuum Help make dinner
- Make their own snacks
- Put away their own laundry
- Make their own breakfast
- Peel vegetables
- Take pet for a walk
5. Chores for children ages 10 and older:
- Unloading the dishwasher
- Completing the laundry process (wash & fold)
- Cleaning the bathroom
- Washing the windows
- Washing your car
- Cook simple meals with supervision
- Iron clothes with supervision
- Baby-sit younger siblings (with adult in the home)
- Cleaning the kitchen
- Changing their own bed sheets
"Helping out at home raises self-esteem: when parents insist that kids do chores, they are letting them know that they're not just loved, they are needed."_ Wendy Mogel