What chores do your DC do?

[UndertheCedartree]

Interested to see what is normal. My DC are 13 and 8 and they aren't great at chores. My DS (13) is naturally much tidier than his DS - he doesn't make loads of mess and likes keeping his belongings organised and tidy. He is terrible with clothes being everywhere and leaving glasses/ mugs in his room, though. If I ask him to do something he will do it with no fuss. The 8yo is a whirlwind of mess. Clothes and toys everywhere in her room. Arts and crafts mess and more toys downstairs. She has to be reminded to take her plate to the kitchen/ throw away her yogurt pot etc. She is not good at tidying atall. If I ask her to do something she will try to wriggle out of it or only does a half-hearted job.

My expectations right now are:
DS - keep room tidy, unload dishwasher every morning, put a load of his washing on every week.
DD - keep room tidy, put the dinner plates etc in the dishwasher, bring her laundry bag down once a week for me to wash.
Then I expect them to do ad-hoc jobs as and when I ask. DS will cook at least once a week and takes his DS to school one day a week too (pre-lockdown)
I don't think it's that much but they struggle to achieve this.

What do your DC do?

None, I wanted them to just enjoy being children and not do housework. They are adults now and can manage perfectly well with cooking/cleaning before anyone says this will leave them helpless.

And I’m not suggesting others do the same as me! Each to their own, you need to do what’s best for your family 😊

My eldest (9) gets 50p a week for keeping his room tidy and 50p for hanging the clothes out to dry after every wash. He also gets 50p a week for reading a chapter every day as encouragement. I pay it onto his GoHenry card.

He cooks dinner once a week (with supervision) and will generally do anything I ask him to throughout the week without any payment but the ones above are “his” chores and won’t be completed by anyone else.

DS (11) is expected to keep his bedroom, office and en-suite clean although I give it a proper clean once a week when I do the main cleaning. He also likes to earn extra pocket money by doing the hoovering (£1 per floor), dusting (same) and steam mopping (£1).

My toddler puts her dirty clothes in her laundry basket, puts her dirty plate / bowl in the dishwasher (and back in the drawer when cleaned) and tidy her toys up.

I don’t have plans to expect her to do massive amounts of chores but do expect her to tidy up after herself & put away things she has used.

12 yr old does dishwasher, his room bins.
Coz I HATE DOING BIBS.

he also gives me a foot rub in return for gaming cash 🤣

6 and 4yo here. They are expected to keep their rooms and playroom tidy (tidied at the end of most days), plus clean their stuff out of the living room each day. They set the table most days, put their cups/plates/cutlery on the side after meals, put their dirty washing into the washing basket, and put away coats/shoes etc when they come in. They also are sometimes asked to help with jobs in the garden (like watering or harvesting fruit/veg) or little jobs like distributing spare loo rolls between the 2 toilets. When my van is due its annual wash, they are paid 50p each to help wash it (I'm not precious about the paintwork, I wouldn't let them wash the car!).
They don't do much general household stuff yet, but we do expect them to keep their own things tidy. They both get a small amount of pocket money, but that is linked to behaviour rather than chores.

My children are a similar age. My teen is responsible for his own room and washing etc I don’t ever do it for him.
2 days a week whilst I’m not here he sorts him self out food etc.
I don’t pay the for chores.
If his rugby kit / school uniform etc isn’t washed he knows he will go to school like it do he makes sure it’s done.

DD5 and DS2 are both encouraged to tidy up their toys, put PJs on their bed in the morning (DD makes her bed), help set the table for meals, and put their dirty plates, cups and cutlery on the side when they've finished. I'm not militant about it, some days we forget bits I just do it for them, but they will do at least one of those every day.

IMO children can enjoy being children while still doing small chores. Part of having a home is keeping it nice, and I want them to grow up to not only appreciate that but also to learn that we help each other out. I also would rather not spend all day racing around after four other people tidying, cleaning and running myself ragged!

Bugger all, they take lazy to a new level. I come home from work and dishes piled up, I kid you not. At their ages the should know better, one morning I had enough came in from nightshift exhausted seen state of kitchen and dishes, picked them up and threw them on floor, I wasn't angry, I was just done with it all, no shouting nothing, then I walked out the door to my sisters and collapsed in tears. I'm not talking small children, I mean a 16 year old and a 20 year old.

@Neotraditional - I can understand that and glad to hear they have no problems as adults. I wouldn't do the same as I really do need the help from them.
@qalb - I can't really use money as an incentive - they both get plenty of pocket money from their dad and grandfather. I think it is good that he will do extra when asked as that is being part of the household.

None. My precious angels are not here to clean the house I chose to buy. I am here to serve their every whim.

Nah, just kidding. He’s only a baby. But I fully intend on getting him doing his share as soon as he’s able. I thought he’d like to have a go at the hoovering first, kids seem to like that.

@suziedoozy - sounds fair enough.

@RileyG73 - wow sounds great! My youngest may be persuaded with gaming cash!

I think children should pick up after themselves and put some stuff in the dishwasher and that’s it .
Let them be kids enough time for chores later on in life .

@Namechangeychangey - my youngest loves gardening.
@Onedrinktoomany2 - my teen is not too bad at washing his clothes but he gets through loads as he won't wear anything twice! He occasionally gets behind and we get cries of 'I have no clothes!'

@merryhollybright - yes, I agree. Actually my 8yo is good with her bed. She makes it most days and sets her cuddly toys out neatly.
@Savethewhales - I'm so sorry to hear that. What was their response?

@Ileflottante

My 1yr old loves to help so he helps lay the table for supper, empty the dishwasher and put the milk bottle outside for collection. Obviously this is done under heavy supervision but the way I see it is that you want children to know they have to help out in the house. I am not talking about making them slave morning, noon and night but helping. I am also aware that he is only 1 and this will most likely change

Mine are 4 and 5.. they put their dirty laundry in the basket, take their dirty cups and snack bowls to the kitchen, put their rubbish in the bin and help tidy their toys away.. they will help me fold clean laundry and pair socks etc.. I think it's important for them to take some responsibility for themselves and respect their home. It encourages their independence

My DTs (3) bring the dirty laundry downstairs, load and unload the washing machine and tumble dryer and put it in the basket afterwards. They bring their plates into the kitchen, help me bring the bins out and throw their rubbish in the bin, do gardening and cleaning. Oh, and keep their rooms tidy.

DS loves helping with any and all housework he’ll make a fabulous husband to someone one day I hope, DD is trickier to get going. Obviously they’re not solely responsible for these tasks, they’re set up in an age appropriate way and they’re not left unattended

My 2 accept that we all live here and so we all look after it.
They do a little bit of hoovering every day (both have their own patch!). Probably 5 mins max.
They will empty the dishwasher - again 5 mins between them
They will, for example today, take a pile of hoodies upstairs and put away after a walk and tidy the shoe store.
They feed the small furries and water them.
They're fab at the kitchen cupboard doors and kick boards!
Nothing ever takes long and they don't take the mental load but they know life's easier when we all pull our weight!
8 & 10

Mine is 15. She doesn't have chores, per se, but she is expected to help out. Today she has hoovered downstairs and put up a shelf in the bathroom. She helps cook, do the washing, tidy, dust. I too want her to enjoy being a child, but I am fucked if I'm asking her to lift her legs while I hoover under her as she binges the tv.

And I refuse to raise boys who think it happens by magic!

Put it this way: DS is 12, DD is 14. If I asked them to do chores they would look at me and say "what are these chores you speak of".

They do bring their washing to the bottom of the stairs. That's about it though. They are shite.

My 2.5 year old tidies her toys, puts her beaker away and puts her own clothes in the laundry basket. Oh and turns the tumble dryer off if she hears it. She's still a very happy child and hardly cinderella but in our house everyone contributes in an age appropriate way. Its important to me that she respects her things and tidies up after herself.