15 minute jobs!

[MissBrown]

Hi all.

I'm soon to increase my working days to approx 4/5, which will include working at home in the evenings. As a result I am going to need my kids to help out more. I recently saw something on here about using a timer to help with jobs. I tried it out myself and did the kitchen, my room and the bathroom in 3 x 15 mins slots which was brill! Any ideas of jobs that I can give them which would be of benefit to me and they could do in 15 mins or less. As a reward they can earn money or treats per job! They are 12 (boy) 11 and 7 (girls).
Thanks in advance!

what about folding towels, socks etc and putting them away. emptying the bins in each room and putting a clean bag in each bin

Thank you. I think the the 7yr old could be useful for matching socks and taking washing upstairs.

when they finish eating if they take their plates from the table and scrape them into the bin or wherever you scrape and if the washing up or loading of dish washer isnt going to be done striaght away encourage them to stack them up neatly eg dinner plates on top of dinner plates, side plates on side plates. get them to wipe the table and put away the salt and pepper and other bits you use at meal times. it sounds small but it does make the difference of the ktichen looking reasonable so that if someone calls you dont feel your house is a total mess. visitors will also be very impressed if they see your kids doing this, take my word on this. my 18 and 15 year old do this and my mother thinks that they are so helpfu and a great helpl

Wiping condensation off windows.
Loading dishwasher or doing washing up
Drying up/putting away dishes
Dusting
Quick vacuum/sweep of a room
Wiping down skirting boards/banisters etc with damp cloth
Hanging up wet laundry or loading tumble drier
Shredding any paperwork that needs it - keep a big envelope of things to be shredded, clearly marked as such
Wiping down bathroom mirror with a bit of damp flannel then drying with dry section

Tidying bedrooms & living room
Start teaching them to cook (if you haven't already, the 7 year old can help with safer food prep tasks whilst the older 2 can use ovens, knives etc, so long as they're responsible & you've taught them key safety things & some basic first aid for cuts/burns etc - they'll be doing this soon enough at school with teacher supervision)

My older child has ADHD and dyspraxia so can be a little 'clumsy' at times! My 11 yr old could probably run the house by herself, although reluctantly! I have taught them some basic meals such as spag bol and mince and mash so I might start to incorporate their meals into the weekly menus. I was thinking of putting 'instructions' to do different jobs on the insides of cupboards etc so when I say, 'Darling, go and clean the bathroom', they can do it without me spending 15 mins explaining what to do! Also a rota... might include my husband in this one too! Thanks for all your replies!

I'm a SAHM, but the thing I wish my lovely DDs and DH would do are.

Put shoes away (eyes two pairs of her own on floor).

Stack dishes sensibly, even if they are still on the living room table.

Return all plates etc from upstairs.

Keep the sofa and the chair in the living room free of junk.

Likewise the stairs, things are stood there because they need to go upwards.

Especially don't winge if it's someone else's junk. It won't kill you to move it!!!

Put washing to wash in the correct basket, how hard is it to tell dark from light?

Putting washing away means just that, not leaving it lying around and returning it to the washing heap

Oh and towels don't dry on the floor!

Shredding you'd think that was fun, but no. It would be helpful so it isn't.

I should add my 14 yo DD1 cooks and hangs up washing and can be very good.

DH is a good cook and fights our horrible heavy Hoover up the stairs.

DD2 just gives that look that only preteens can at the idea of helping.

Startail, do you give DD2 money or other nice but unnecessary things? If so, start linking them to helping out (as in the world of work, no work = no pay). You may have a hard time at first, but worth seeing it through. I knew if I didn't help out with things, it was so not worth the hassle. Don't be drawn into a battle or argument though, just when you & DH decide on how to tackle it, state your terms & leave it at that. Hopefully just a phase DD2 going through but if not, easier to tackle now than when a much bigger teen with hormones & emotions flying high.

No, I just shout and DD1 gives her a dirty look.

I can't really bribe her to do things DD1 does anyway.

She's OK really, just a bit stubborn.

Also we live in the middle of no where so she knows there would be no ballet, play dates or fun if the mummy taxi goes on strike.