Is Getting Your Children to Do Chores a Chore?

by April Welch on October 5th, 2010 | 4 Comments »

How do you motivate your children to do chores?

Sometimes it is easier to have an "I'll just do it myself" mindset, but all that does is add to your work load in the long run while robbing your kids of the opportunity they have to learn to do chores while in their youth.

So how do you figure out what your pipsqueaks can do?

I'm so glad you asked! {wink-wink}

As an organization coach, one rule of thumb I teach my clients is to ask themselves: "What can I delegate?"

Household Tasks Parents Can Delegate That Teach Children How to Do Chores

The lists below identify age-appropriate tasks you can assign to your children to help them learn to do chores from a young age.

Toddlers

Fold towels & wash clothes in a load of laundry.
Put non-breakable dishes away.
Put silverware away (once sharp knives have been removed).
Feed pets/animals.

School-Aged Children

Fold their own laundry and put it away.
Put all dishes away.
Water plants.
Brush pets.

Middle Schoolers

Do their own laundry from start to finish.
Do the dishes from start to finish.
Vacuum and mop floors.
Care for pets/animals from start to finish.
Mow the lawn or shovel snow.
Take out garbage.

High Schooler

all of the above and
Run errands (once they have their license).
Help grocery shop on a budget.
Wash and detail vehicles.
Help with spring cleaning.

I'm sure many of you read through that list & either felt overwhelmed by the things you just remembered you need to do. The key? Delegate? And, don't underestimate what your children can do, especially those ages four and under.

The thing is... If you start showing your children how to do chores, they begin learning life lessons right then. These life lessons will help them understand what they'll need to take care of as an adult.

If you show your child how to do something and they seem energetic about it, step back and observe how they make it their own. If, on the other hand, you show them something and you're just not comfortable they're ready, keep working with them, do not give up on the first try! They need the practice of the skill as much as you need them to be able to help out in years to come.

Check out this Age Appropriate Chore Chart for a more formal way to assign chores.

Happy chore assigning!