Chores for a 6 year old?

[Catsandcannedbeans]

DD turns 6 next week and is requesting a pocket money raise. She currently gets £1 per week and wants £3 (she’s not getting three, but I admire her tenacity with it). This means she needs some more chores. She currently makes her bed, feeds the cat, brushes the cat, and when she comes to wake me up brings me a water. I am gonna get her brother to feed and brush the cat as he doesn’t have any at the moment, so he will do those two to start. I’m just stuck with what else to give her. I don’t mind her not being good at them by the way, it’s more about her doing it and getting in a routine. I was thinking maybe set the table? When I was her age my parents had us basically doing everything, but I don’t really want to be like that, she has the rest of her life to clean lol.

She brings you a water when she comes to wake you up??

Find and pair all the matching socks in the laundry.

Our room is ground floor, she normally gets herself one as soon as she wakes up then she gets me one or her dad if he gets up with her.

She would probably love that actually and I hate doing it so a win win!

Just give her the money, she's only six!!

My 2 year old sets the table and puts their dirty plate/cup next to the sink afterwards.
My 2yo helps load the washing machine, pairs dry socks and puts their own folded/laundered clothes in their drawer.

My 4 year old puts their dirty plates and cutlery in the dishwasher and helps unload some of it too.
My 4yo puts all their own laundered clothes in their drawer and helps their 2yo sibling do the rest of theirs too.

They both water the garden plants.

We don't label them as chores. Just as team work.

it sounds like she does enough chores for her £3.
My dds 6 and 8 get £10 a month as long as they keep their room tidy and put their clothes in the laundry basket.
They have to be reminded but manage and if they want more for something specific like holiday money they can have it so along as their room is tidy when they ask.
However if one of their rooms isn’t tidy on the day I’ve specified it to be tidy for pocket money they will and have forfeited their money.
One of my dd once said she didn’t need any money and didn’t want to tidy her room, fine, she then cried when her sister bought something and she didn’t have any money.
She once got her sister to tidy her room and she did it, so her sister got both their money.
I am strict about them earning it but it works much better if you don’t ask too much of them.

I can’t imagine making a child that age do chores! I expected my daughter to keep her room tidy and do a couple of basic things like setting the table for dinner once she was at secondary school but I never linked anything like that to her pocket money, and certainly didn’t expect her to do anything when she was six!

Different parenting styles I guess. Me and DP both had chores from a young age and have decided it was ultimately a positive thing for us, so we implemented it with our kids. If anything I’m the soft one, he thinks they should be doing more but he lived on a farm which I think warps his view on it. She likes doing it most of the time, it makes her feel included and like a grown up. She takes a lot of pride in it, especially anything to do with the cat. It’s not like I’m sending her down the mine, I’m going to wait till she’s at least 8 for that.

My 6 year old can choose from: hoovering the downstairs, dusting any dusty bits in the house with a long handled fluffy duster (he loves that one), wiping down kitchen surfaces, sorting his clothes from the laundry and tidying his bedroom. £1 per chore. Then occasionally we let them do more fun ones like help wash the car or make the tea

I don’t agree with paying your children to do chores, personally, unless it’s a one off like washing the car. Don’t want them growing up thinking they will only help out if there’s something in it for them. Being tidy and helping out is something they should do anyway.

My dc wouldn’t have time to do extra chores on top of homework, clubs / music / sports practice. What little spare time they have left I want them to enjoy just being children not worrying about hoovering the carpet. They’ve got their whole adult lives ahead of them to worry about that. I certinally wouldn’t expect a six year old to wake me up and bring me water! That’s role reversal surely?!

Why not just get an house keeper/ cleaner?
Kids that age doing all that ???.
Just a big no.
Just put their toys away is enough.
Ridiculous at their age.
Let them be kids...
Enjoy them.. they are only tiny for a while.
£3 a week

Teach her to manage her money etc.

Ignore it OP. Far too many peoppe on her pander to their children and let them rule the roost. Your daughter sounds great (and very entrepreneurial). As long as the chores are safe, not involving sharp tools or chemicals it’s fine.

What does a 6 year old need money for?

I’m with you 100% maybe I didn’t link the pocket money directly to chores as such, but my DS 21 & 18 now work a few jobs have great grades are planning exciting career and a fab work ethic. While some (not all) of their peers are bloody useless!

For us dishwasher unloading, laundry, hoovering and cleaning were all important as well as dog walking as they got older and gardening and outside jobs. Making sure we didn’t give them “boy” jobs, so my youngest is now looking at being a chef.. he’s been helping chop veg since he could hold a knife.

i do see others don’t agree and that’s fine, I just think OP sounds like she teaching amazing life lessons and the value of earning and money regardless of age. And im sure her DD has a fab childhood, even is she is due done the mines next year. 🤣

I have my 6 and 5 grandchildren 4 days after school, they both help set the table and help me prep their lunch boxes for the next day for that I give them £2 each pocket money. My DIL and son have them do chores at home - help sort the washing and to clear the kitchen . They make their beds every day, let’s be honest it’s only pull a duvet straight, and put their dirty laundry in the basket. Fir that they also give them £1 each a week .

i don’t think it hurts for children todo chores it gives them a sense of responsibility and the value of money earned. I must confess I and I know grandad slip them the odd extra now then, spending money if they’re going on a trip or if they have been very good, or just because I can really.

my granddaughter has been saving for a skate board she’s so nearly there so if told her tomorrow if she helps me water the greenhouse I will make the money up for her. I suppose I’ll have to think of something her sister can do too, I haven’t thought this one through really

Are they actual unicorns? Amazing parenting @HundredPercentUnsure!

She doesn’t need money for anything, we buy her big toys and obviously necessities. She normally saves it because we give her “interest” on what she saves, but she likes to go to the charity shop in the posh area and hunt for jelly cat toys, that’s her thing atm. Her cousin started doing it last year and now she wants in on the bargains. She gets new ones for Christmas ect. but to be honest half of them in the shop are still tagged.

I honestly just assumed everyone was giving their kids chores, damn. She has been asking me all week what her new jobs are going to be, she’s pretty excited. As soon as anyone comes in the house she wants to show them the cat and boast how she looks after her. I don’t think brushing the cat and doing the odd jobs will land her in therapy, but who knows.

We are going to get her a plant that she can look after (water it, repot it when it’s time ect.) I was going to get her to do the house plants but DP is a bit precious about them. Then I’m going to let her pick another job.

I concede, and I will up her pay form £1 to £3 so she will be thrilled. Hopefully her and her brother don’t figure out what national minimum wage is… or unionise 😱.

Wish i kept the link but there was a great article that listed age appropriate chores. Hanging their own clean clothes was suitable for a 6yo and is my most hated chore, so I rejoyced when I read that!

We don't do pocket money yet, maybe next year. It would need to be enough for a magazine as that is always her first ask in a shop

Clearly I am failing as a parent! 2 year olds and 6 year olds doing chores!! Wow. Need to up my game.

That’s not amazing parenting imo. Amazing parenting is letting children play and use their imaginations, not doing housework from the age of 2! Jeez why not send them down the mines…? 🙄

I think:

Lay the table
Clear the table
Empty the dishwasher
Help with laundry

Are all fair chores at that age, a selection of, not all.

There is increasing amount of research showing that children who have chores grow-up happier and more confident than their peers who don't. Ignore the naysayers.

I don’t have a problem with a child having chores but I don’t think they should be paid to do them. They should do chores as they’re part of a functioning home and everyone has to chip in. By paying them to do things they’ll just expect to be paid for anything you ask them to do. It’s not something I’d start. She’s 6 and she’s already asking you for more money. How much do you think she’ll want when she’s a teenager?

Teach them to save, budget, give them the pleasure of buying something they’ve saved towards, teach them the value of money 🤷‍♀️ I have always been a saver, we had post office accounts when we were very young…it has stood me in good stead, I’m very comfortably off now, never had any debt except my mortgage, I was able to retire at 55 and I have my parents to thank for teaching me how to look after my money! And that all started from being given money for my birthday etc and getting to spend half and save half….!