what 'jobs' does your 4 year old DS do?

[ZombieWhirl]

if any?

Thinking that if ds had some tasks that were his responsibility he might feel more in control and would get positive attention.

Our kitchen is too small for kitchen related tasks, but I was thinking maybe getting the knives and forks out, making his bed etc.

Any other ideas?

[cjbartlett]

None
She's four
she does put her dirty clothes in the laundry basket and if we have guests she likes to hand round biscuits

[Shannaratiger]

Agree with cj, he sometimes puts dirty clothes in the washbasket and tidies up his toys but that's it. All my 7 year old does extra is clean the bathroom sink and that was her choice as she decided it wasn't fair that I did absolutely everything!

[Tillyscoutsmum]

DD is 4 and loves "helping". She mainly just tidies her toys/books and puts her dirty washing in the laundry basket. When our shopping is delivered, she likes to help carry light things in and help put things away (she puts fruit in the bowl, takes loo rolls, nappies etc. upstairs). She will lay the table for a meal (one plate at a time !) and loves being let loose with a duster or broom. She's also never happier than when she has a bowl of water to "wash up" plastic cutlery/plates/cups etc

These are all on her terms though. Sometimes she's not in the mood and I don't force her to do anything (other than at least help tidy toys away).

[MumToTheBoy]

Term time my ds (5) helps me make his packed lunch each morning - chopping the cucumber, counting out the grapes, getting stuff from the fridge etc.

He also has to put his bowl/ plate by the sink after each meal and scrape any leftovers into the bin.

Any toys must be put away after he has finished with them - he has a playroom and the rule is if he doesn't keep it tidy it will become MY room!

He has to put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket. He helps me load the washing machine and the tumble drier, he matches socks together ( all of this he sees as fun) and he loves to wash up and helps dry too.

Most of this he will do without being asked but I do need to remind him about the laundry basket as this is relatively new. He is quite happy to do all of this and actually most of it was initiated by him anyway. I'm sure as he gets older he will be less keen...

[youarekidding]

At 4yo DS helped lay the table and carry plates to the kitchen. He liked a cloth when I was cleaning and liked to hoover. At 5yo I started asking him to strip his own bed and put his laundered clothes away. He doesn't ask to help clean so much now. He will hoover when he wants but I never ask as I have to do it again properly anyway.

I have always expected DS to tidy up his toys.

I think I may be regretting the getting him to help as he decided yesterday we need to move the lounge around, stating about hoovering where sofa is, dusting everything and hoovering the sofa. In fact the idea for a layout he's had is great its just I know I'll have to move everything. He's 7yo in a few weeks.

[camdancer]

DS (4) brings his plate into the kitchen after meals, puts his clothes in the washbasket (and tries to sort them), tidies up at tidy up time (he is responsible for lego but has to do anything else as well) and also does dusting sometimes. They are all the same as DD1 (2) - except she is responsible for jewellery at tidy up time. The difference is that I have higher expectations of DS actually doing the things without me having to tell him exactly what to do each time.

You'll have some people coming on here saying that your DS should be making his own lunch, cleaning the whole house and making sure the roof tiles are secure!

[youarekidding]

Oh and yes the laundry in the basket - but I never think of that as a chore either, its just something that needs to be done and he has a laundry bag in his room so hardly stressful!

[Sleepglorioussleep]

Dd, 5, plate to sink after meals, mats and cutlery on table, clothes in laundry basket, supervised tidying. Sometimes some fetching things for dd2, five weeks. Ds, 2, loves it all, but hasn't realised it's a job yet!

[bananamam]

Mine are 2&4 they both put dirty clothes in the wash basket, dirty plates in the dishwasher and tidy up at the end of the day. That's the extent of what I feel they should do. However they love to Hoover, wash dishes, load the washing machine etc, most of these need Redon though

[bananamam]

Redone even

[akaemmafrost]

I sorted out a wash once and then left it on the floor next to the washing machine. My 4 year old dd put it in the machine, put the tablets in the net, in the bag, RIGHT AT THE BACK OF THE DRUM as instructed, turned the dial to 40 degrees and pressed the on button.

I did wonder and still do now, how her father in his THIRTIES was incapable of putting a wash without me standing over him instructing him when he lived here.

I don't make her do it regularly though .

[BitterAndTwistedChoreDodger]

Mine are 2.5 and 6. 2yo likes to put the laundry on, and put the clean clothes in the tumble drier. I don't make her do this!

6yo is responsible for keeping his room tidy and tidying the toys in the living room.

Between them they set the table and clear the plates after meals.

[inmysparetime]

I am clearly a very mean mother! My kids have had jobs round the house since they were about 3y.o. They started out with sweeping, dusting, putting away washing up etc. At 5, they could make a cup of tea under supervision. As they got older (now 9 and 7) they have more responsibilities. They now wash and dry dishes, fill and empty the dishwasher, polish shoes, clean the bath and sinks, Hoover, polish the table etc. I pay them per job, and they fight over who gets to polish my shoes. I let them set prices for jobs - 10p per room for hoovering, 30p to put a wash on etc.
When they actually find out the value of money I'll be in trouble though, as they work like Trojans!