Do you assign chores to your children?
By bubbles89
@bubbles89 (122)
United States
July 1, 2008 7:36am CST
My boys are 13 and 10 but we decided early on that they would be taught how to do chores. I think it's important for several reasons. Number 1 it teaches them teamwork and responsibility and number 2 it prepares them for adulthood. I never want my boys to expect their wives to do all the chores around the house. So it's actually helping their wives out early.
Of course the assigned chores were age appropriate. We never expected a 3 year old to clean the toilet ha ha ha. But we did incorporate chores that we knew that they could do.
We started at age 4 because we knew that this was the age that they could understand why it was important to help out. So we showed them how to throw trash. As they aged the chores included helping us fold laundry and now there isn't anything that my husband and I do that the boys cant.
Although I'm very old fashioned and I like to take care of all my guys it's still great that they all offer to help. I think it's great that they can pull up their boot straps and help out.
What do you think? Do you assign chores? If so what are they and what do you feel is appropriate?
1 person likes this
11 responses
@kingcrapper (1536)
• United States
1 Jul 08
I am so with you concerning assigning chores! I have step children and come to find out one of them doesn't even know how to sweep! Can you imagine being 12 and not knowing the process of using a broom! The chores that you and I, as parents, will assign them will be things they will need to do on their own. Whether it is sweeping, laundry or just cleaning in general. Age is important. Something that they can understand and are physically able to do. Great post! I hope everyone stops and reads what you said here...espeicially the parents!
@mynameismine (771)
• United States
1 Jul 08
My children have been helping out one way or another since they were old enough to do so.
They take care of most of the household cleaning now since they are the ones who make the messes. If I'm cleaning there will not be any new messes anytime soon. They wash the dishes and their own clothes. They also mop, sweep and vacuum the floors. Their bedrooms and bathroom are theirs to clean.
They are a part of a family and I'm not a subservient maid for anyone, esp., those I gave birth to. I clean up after myself and many times my husband and the youngest baby but the older kids clean up after themselves. Even the baby and my husband do much of there own cleaning.
I don't sit around all day barking orders but they know their responsibilities in this house and what is expected of them and what the consequences will be if they don't do what they should.
1 person likes this
@djmarion (4898)
• Philippines
2 Jul 08
i don't have a child of my own yet but i live with my parents and sisters and their kids so we always assign the chores in the household. my eldest niece will wash the dishes at night since she go to school in the morning and i am task to do the laundry in the weekend. i of course clean the house and everything.
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
1 Jul 08
well my oldest is only 5, but we do sort of give her stuff to do now. i think chores are important too. i think you did it right. starting off giving them age appropriate chores is a good idea. my 5 year old can actually unload our dishwasher lol. that isn't one of her chores though, she does it just to help out. both my 5 year old and 3 year old have to clean their rooms.
1 person likes this
@SwtJenlove (1090)
• United States
1 Jul 08
my 7 year old helps out but my other 2 kids arent big enough yet. i will have them help out too. my 7 year old is pretty helpful :)
1 person likes this
@fatragu (677)
• United States
2 Jul 08
My girls don't have chores per say because they are 9 months, 2, and 3 years old. But they do help me with the cleaning. They love to do dishes. They also love to mop. My floor probably gets mopped four to five times a day. They help with the laundry too. My 3 yr old doesn't take a nap anymore so when it is nap time we do the cleaning.
@youless (112150)
• Guangzhou, China
2 Jul 08
I agree with you that it's necessary and good to assign some housework to the children. Children need to learn to be responsible for their family. And doing housework is one of them. Although my child is very little now, but sometimes I will still tell him to do his own things. Such as he should brush teeth by himself. And sometimes I will ask him to take something for me. That's what he can do.
I love China
@kblakley (247)
• Loveland, Ohio
2 Jul 08
I have a 12 yr old daughter, she does her share of chores. It started out with just dishes, dusting and vacuuming when she was probably about 7 or 8. She actually showed interest in wanting to do those things, so we showed her how and she did a good job. Now 2 babies later and we pretty much switch off chores each week. We take turns on certain things and she helps a lot with her little brother(2) and baby sister(8mons). I actually just started doing this with her in just the last few months and things have actually gone along a lot smoother. She's not doing the same thing every week in chores so she doesn't get burnt out and neither do I.
I even have my 2 yr old doing his part, when its time to vacuum he's in charge of getting his room ready....toys picked up for the most part. He gets excited about it too and then gets his toy vacuum and vacuums behind me or my daughter, whoever is doing it that day.
I strongly believe children should have chores (age appropriate, of course). I agree it teaches them responsibility, team work, and healthy living.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
2 Jul 08
Yes, I do assign chores to my only child. I started training him when he reached the age of 4. I assigned him to fold his own blanket and arranged his pillows before leaving his bed in the morning. He was also told to sweep the floor he messed up when he played and put back all his toys in the proper place. It's for his own good. I do not tolerate slothfulness in our home. As he grows to become teen then adult, it helps him to learn many chores in the house like cooking, washing clothes, tending the garden, washing the dishes and many more. I believed I was successful in implanting in his young heart the virtues of obedience, diligence, patience, flexibility and sense of responsibility and it really made him very independent because whenever we would be away he could very well do by himself. It is also my way of equipping him with the right knowhow when he already have their own family.
