Jobs for a 4 year old

[BathMarshmallow]

We're thinking about putting in place a pocket money situation which our four year old can earn by doing jobs. But we can think of any jobs! Help! We're obviously underestimating what he can do. What systems work for you? Thank you!

Sorting the socks and putting his own away.
Sorting clothes into piles for each person which I then fold.
Help tidying toys.

Should pocket money be linked with doing "jobs"? Shouldn't learning about taking part in household tasks when you are a part of a household be a part of the "growing up"?
You run the risk that when the child gets older NO task will be undertaken without the promise of a "reward"

@IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0 a good point, I hand thought about it like that

I don't tend to reward household tasks either. But pocket money linked to behaviour like being kind and helpful, trying hard at swimming lessons etc.

But 4yr old suitable jobs could be putting clothes in laundry basket, putting away clean away underwear, Pj's etc, laying the table, taking dishes to the kitchen, wiping the table after a meal.

They won't always do a good job, sometimes you will have to redo it yourself but the point is getting them into the habit of helping out.

My kids definitely wouldn’t do their chores if they could opt out, even if it cost them their pocket money. They have chores because they’re a part of our household and they get pocket money for the same reason.

I think at age 4 they should be helping tidy away their own toys, laying the table, that sort of thing.

We dont do pocket money but our just 5 year old takes plates out and sets table. Scrapes food into bin and plate into dish washer. Waters plants, sorts clothes, cleans boots, tidy up, dust/wipe surfaces.

I don't know i suppose another way of looking at it is teaching having to work to earn money and buy what you want/ 'you work hard and save up etc. We don't do pocket money atm but folding socks, tidying toys away, help to set the table and getting items when asked are all jobs they can do at this age. My 4 year old loves to help clean the windows and car and gets excited over helping to cook/bake.

Sorry sorting socks that should say!

I'm against linking pocket money to tasks, I'd rather they were seen as the child contributing in a general way to family life.

Things of this type that I enjoyed doing when a child included shelling peas, topping & tailing green beans, making mint sauce (I had my own little garden with mint growing in it), laying the table, pairing up & folding all the clean socks, polishing the brass wear (no much call for this now!), helping with rubbing in butter to flour for cakes & pastry, cutting out biscuits & scones, greasing baking trays, sieving anything that needed it, cleaning rice (I'm possibly the last person alive to have ever done this! )
A popular job on wet days was tidying drawers. I was quite a busy child, one of my Grandmother's sayings was "The Devil finds work for idle hands" !

Chimney sweeping obvs.

I too don't agree with paying kids or rewarding them for doing basic tasks. My 3, nearly 4 year old ds will get his own cereal bowl and spoon and put his dish in the sink when finished. He attempts to make his bed. He also puts his dirty clothes in the laundry basket and he helps me with 'tidy up time'. I'm just encouraging him to be consistent with these tasks

DC is 4 years old.

Still the age when:

Packing away toys can be made fun. ( lets see who packs away first, peekaboo toys)

Helping out in the kitchen can be made fun. (Help mummy pack away my spoons, pour the water into this cup....)

Jobs for a 4 year old sounds a bit 'heavy'.

Perhaps think about leaving it till they are a bit older to link to pocket money say when they need to buy from the cake sales at school Year 4,5,6 maybe?

My 4 years old helps by taking his plate out and scraping leftovers in the food bin. He takes out the recycling. ( he actually loves dragging the bins down for recycling) he helps load the washing machine. And put away his own clothes. I do it so when he’s got so many stickers over the week he can then chose either a magazine or toy under a 5er . He loves helping though and now i seam to have a house full of books as he loves reading so I think it was a mistake 🤣

DS (5 next month) sets the table, clears his own plate, sweeps (badly) after meals. He also puts his own toys away and helps feed the dog/ tortoises, helps is the garden, plus self-care jobs (getting himself dressed, helping to brush his own teeth etc).

What jobs are appropriate for a 4 year old? Judging by some posters on MN, I’d say partner in magic circle law firm or CEO of FTSE250 company. Anything less and they’re beyond hope tbh.

I was going to say government minister, knowing your 4 year old would do better than the current shower.

However, as that option is not available, I agree with the suggestions of table setting, helping to feed any pets, and tidying toys away.

We don’t tie pocket money to jobs but DS who is 4 has jobs.

He gives the cats biscuits in the morning.
Takes his lunch box out of his bag and puts it next to the sink when he gets in from nursery.
Feeds the cats in the evening.
Puts knives and forks on the table for dinner.
He has always put his own clothes in the basket since he could help get himself undressed and has always helped with tidying toys up.

Viper I was going to suggest that . At 4 my girl was tiny. She would have made a fantastic pick pocket....

I don’t do pocket money for jobs and they help out with jobs everyday as we all live in the same house and they are expected too. My youngest is five and does stuff like cleaning his toys away, helping to bring any washing up out, he helps to wipe down the table and in the garden.

Loading and unloading the cutlery tray (no sharps), washing his own lunch box (also stops him putting open yoghurt in), setting the table, hand held vacuuming under the table after dinner, coming round with me to do polishing and hoovering (general dogsbody)

Tidying up toys, books etc
Putting clothes in laundry basket
Making his bed (pulling up duvet) in the morning
Putting his own rubbish (eg wrappers, paper) in the bin

Just general stuff you want to install early really!

never did pocket money for kids but won't bore you with my philosophy!😁

at that age they tend to be keen to help. mine used to love being told what a good job they did, honestly the praise and making mummy & daddy happy was all they needed!
mine liked cleaning cupboard doors with a damp cloth, folding clothes, putting toys away, sweeping the floor with a small dustpan & brush...literally anything they were capable of.
you know your child, so take clues from him.
and you are right. mine would always surprise me with being able to do far more than I thought!

Apart from tidying the toys, a 4 yr old doesn’t need “jobs”.

Plenty of time for that. He/she is a kid,