Do your children do chores? and if what

[LA62]

I am beginning to think i should make my children do a bit more around the house as i seem to do almost everything for them..apart from wipe there Butt! lol:laughing:

4 and a half and 7 and a half...nothing to major as i know they are only kids and i want them to be just that:yes:

What do your kids do to help and do you give them pocket money as a reward?:confused: I just want to make things run more smoothly in the house and make them aware that they have to help and contribute to our family:yes:

any suggestions would be very greatful

[Funkychicken]

Our DS#1 amd DD do a few chores. They get to take the rubbish out to the big bins and the empty milk bottles etc...They also have to make their beds (they are pretty rough but they are improving!), put their dirty clothes in either the hampers or the laundry, get the breakfast bowls, spoons, cereal etc... out on the table in the mornings and they have just started taking the plates up to the sink after dinner.
Now they don't necassarily do all of these jobs all of the time and I usually have to ask/tell them each time but practice makes perfect! They get $2.50 each week but have decided that they like note money so they now get $5 each fortnight. There is always room for negotiation-often they may 'lose' a dollar or two for really awful behaviour but they are also aware that they can earn it back if they do 'extra' deeds unprompted.
They are also in charge of letting the chooks out in the morning.

Wow, it sounds like they are my slaves now that I have read that but honestly, it still feels like I do 99.999999 % of EVERYTHING! :rolleyes:

[JATS]

Tom's 15 months old and helps me hang out the washing :D Hands me the clothes and pegs, soo cute! He also loves the broom, drags it around and tries to sweep the floor!

I know he'll grow out of it but for now he's a great little helper!

[Cheekychops]

there was a thread like this a couple of months back - and I looked like a slave driver :o DS1 is 5.5 and DS2 is 4 and they:

Both:
Make their beds
Tidy their room
Tidy their things anywhere else in the house when asked
Put their plates in the sink
Put the washing away after I fold it
Bring the dirty washing baskets to the laundry on wash days
Unpack plastics out of dishwasher
Take softdrink cans out to can bag in shed
Help DH with the gardens - weeding, watering, planting etc.

DS1:
Takes sheets off bed when its wash day
Puts sheets back on bed and pillow case on
Empty the rubbish bins and replace bags
Take rubbish out to wheelie bin
Gets vacuum cleaner out (does some vacumming) and puts cleaner away when I need it
Opens curtains in the morning

DS2:
Helps sort the washing into their piles on wash days
Puts washing in machine
Opens blinds in the morning

Other than that - basicaly whatever else I need/want a hand with at the time.....

Sounds like all they do is work, but they actually enjoy the responsibilities and then have plenty of play time and fun times!!!

[draught]

Mine are only 3 1/2 and nearly 2 but they are both responsible for packing up toys they play with, helping with putting washing on the line (handing me clothes and or pegs), putting their clothes in the laundry hamper, emptying the dishwasher and putting their cups in the sink when they are finished. DD1 puts her plates and bowls on the bench or in the sink when she is finished eating, and they both do little chores like picking things up or taking things to their father when I ask them. I don't think of it as slave labour (that is definitely MY role:laughing: ) but I think it helps them with a sense of respect and responsibility for shared space, with social interaction, with learning colours and numbers (counting etc) as we talk about the chores as we are doing them. DD1 has started telling off her father for leaving his clothes lying around on the floor and furniture - thats my girl!!:thumbsup:

[Angelmist♥]

I have 6 and 5 yr old boys and they both have helped around the house since they could walk.

They both put their toys away,put their folded clothes away and towels/sheets, wipe down the table, clean their room and help me with day to day stuff like hanging clothes out,putting clothes in washing machine :ecomcity: !


I don't think of it as slave labour (that is definitely MY role ) but I think it helps them with a sense of respect and responsibility for shared space, with social interaction, with learning colours and numbers (counting etc) as we talk about the chores as we are doing them.

Totally agree!

[pookiesossige]

I'm having a little trouble bringing out DS's interest in helping out- he's not quite at that stage yet. Helping out to him is thinking that I actually wanted grass clippings all over the couch and sand from the sand pit in Ariene's play pen... :banghead:
I certainly believe in a bit of pocket money as a reward for contributing to household responsibilities. And DS is really quite destructive when it comes to his toys and belongings- I'm trying really hard to instill a sense of respect for his things (and other people's) by putting everything away with him before nap time and sorting toys into their different containers etc. We'll get there eventually! I believe in kid's being part of day-to-day tasks to keep a household running (while still being kids), that's the main thing!:yes:

[bronny-jane]

my dd's get 50 cents for putting their toys away:laughing: :D

[Terrible2+1cutie]

My boys are 3 and 22 months, they both take empty bottles out to the bin, they have both put empty plates and cups in sink since they were 12 months old, they tidy up there toys at the end of the day with a little encouragement and help from me, my kids are both at the stage where even if i try to help do anything they say I do, I do they love helping me.

Catherine

Mum to Blaze and Bailey

[Rell]

DD is 4 and since she was 2 she has been setting the table. She also needs to tidy her room.
DS is almost 2 and he helps me unstack the dishwasher. For him its more of an obsession, if he sees the door open he comes running and HAS to help. LOL

Jobs are just part of being a family in our house and although DD does get pocket money its more to teach her to save then for doing her jobs.

Oh DH will also pay DD 50c if she makes his lunch:D

[my_lot]

my saying is- if you eat, sleep and sh!t in this house then you help clean up this house! stops all the "do we have to" out of the eldest....and she knows she has to help at grandmas house ect if shes staying there.
.
meal time one clears the table, one sets the table, one wipes the tabel after dinner. the girls like to help with vegies when im making dinner and little ds likes to put the dry dishes away...but these are things they want to do not are asked to do.

making bedsthey all have to make their beds every morning, if its not done mon-fri then theres no lunch order on friday at school.


clothes/washing
both dds will get the washing off the line after school, if its still out.

dd7 is in charge of the socks and undies basket and on the weekends she sorts and puts them away.
dd9 sorts out the ironing from the folding then folds the towels.
ds4 takes everyones folded washing to their beds

there are no set jobs apart from the washing..its just whoever is closest really. so they all help in one way or another with what needs to be done. ill wash the cars with two helpers while dp is doing the lawns with another helper..


there is no pocket money given for jobs..dp and i dont agree on this 100% he thinks they should do more eg; washing up or hanging out the washing where i think they do enough and they shouldnt be paid for being part of a family.

[Miaow]

EJ's current chore which she has created to 'help' me is to create lots of washing :laughing:

But seriously once she's a little older - and can help - putting toys away will be a great help already she puts them all over the floor lol

[Rhoxie]

Mine are 8, 6 & 2

The bigger two do the following

Clean their rooms
Make their beds
clean the playroom

scrape plates
clear table
sweep floor
empty scrap bucket into the compost
take out the recycling to the big bin
bring bins in from the street *supervised*
empty the dishwasher

pair socks
sort knickers/undies from the clean washing basket.
put their own washing away.

Master 2 helps -with guidence- to clean his room, tidy his toys and clean up any messes he makes. He also scrapes his plate after meals.

They are paid a set amount each week and they don't get paid until their rooms and the playroom are done as these are compulsory jobs

they each get $1 per year of age less a $1 - so the 8 yr old gets $7.
Of this 1/2 goes straight to a savings tin - not spendable
10% into a charity tin
and the rest is wallet money to spend as they wish.

This works well for us - However we don't treat the money as a reason to do the jobs. Jobs are a part of our family life and we talk about how we all do our bit to help our house run smoothly.

[Mrs Potts]

We're just starting to formalise this with DS.

for ages now he's been responsible for putting his toys away, setting the table, taking his dishes to the sink etc.

He asked about pocket money so we're making a list of things he can do officially to earn some money.

The list so far has:

putting toys away / taking toys from the lounge room back to his room
setting the table
unpacking the dishwasher
when DD starts having toys out - putting her toys away for her (til she can do it herself)
putting outside toys in the shed at the end of the day
putting dirty clothes in the laundry trolley
The list is still in progress and we're not sure how much he'll get, but the list is a guide and we'll play it by ear.