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jobs/chores for kids do yours do any

27 replies

scoobytwo · 03/07/2006 18:29

do your kids do any jobs/help around the house just because its expected of them&not to earn money?answers appreciated

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chickenwings · 03/07/2006 18:31

I have two little boys (4 and 3) and get them to help unload the dishwasher, hang out the washing etc. They are a bit little for most things but as they grow up I plan on them doing regular chores (for no money!). I am keen for them to learn to help out around the house and realise that it easier if everyone helps out.

cataloguequeen · 03/07/2006 18:31

my 2 yr old gets her own nappy & wipes/4 yr old helps tidy her room.. gotta start young you know!!

cataloguequeen · 03/07/2006 18:34

my dd1 helps with washing & dishes too chick...glad I'm not the only one

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chickenwings · 03/07/2006 18:35

I just don't want my boys growing up to expect women to wait on them hand and foot!

hulababy · 03/07/2006 18:37

Nothing regular or specific but 4yo DD helps out round the house. She will clear the table and wipe afte rmeals, she sets the table before hand too. She tidies away her own toys and books, and she puts her dirty clothes/PJs in the linen basket. She also helps with other stuff as and when - today she helped with making burgers for tonight's dinner. She also helped tody the garden stuff away and wiped down the chairs/table in the garden. At the moment she is young enough to enjoy it. Sometimes she does get the odd 10p coin for helping out (depends if we have some chnge laying about) - she loves that and loves going and putting it in her money box. Makes her feel grown up.

Tortington · 03/07/2006 19:08

yes yes yes and yes. they live here to - i did not single handedly create this shit hole

their rooms - are theirs they have always tidied them - when they were younger i sat with a brew and a magazine whilst they did it with a word of encouragement here and there and a "put that in there" comment.

when very small kids actually like things like washing pots and polishing and dusting

depending on how you couch everything of course which should be according to age - for instance when mine were younger i would say " oh please helper can you set the table...take this in for me?"

now they are all teenagers i shout " jacob - table!"

from aged 10 kids can iron - they just need instruction - like everything else

washing clothes is a piece of piss - and i defy anyone to say otherwise - there are the odd pieces of clothes that you look at and think - errrrr i'll put that in on its own - but it basically boils down to colour - number 3 on washing machine - 2 tablets - turn it on. if they can ride a bike - they can do that!

so cries of " its mufty day tomorrow ( own clothes day) my jeans are dirty!"

are met with " well you know where thewashing machine is - dont put it in on its own its a waste of money and electricity and tablets"

of course they dont wash all their things - butif they want something in particular at short notice - then they are quite capable.

in the school holidays i do ask them to do a couple of loads whilst i am at work.

hoovering - a 6 year old can do it.

and if your rather precious about the cleaning and think " i'll have to go over it"

so then go over it - but let them do it first.

anyone watch Big Brother - that glynn has been immasculated, piss took, and worse than all his mother has disabled him - his mother has not given him the skills to make a sandwich or wash his clothes

these are life skills. from a very early age you teach your kids to shitin the toilet - why not teach them to contribute to the running of a household?

your giving the over arching theme that everyone is contributing, its no - ones prime job, its not a feminine womens only thing, women dont know best, giving them life skills and am sure the list could be added to.

some mothers have a martyrdom complex where they must polish shoes, keep house, make food, bake cakes, be perfect mother and wife.

thereby ironically denying their children the much needed life skills - and then no doubt - joke to the WI when they go to university " oh he can't make beans on toast you know haw haw haw"

scoobytwo · 04/07/2006 14:58

thanks for replies just needed to know i wasnt being unreasonable as my lazy ones dont do a lot&ive been getting them to do a little more

OP posts:
Bozza · 04/07/2006 15:08

I pretty much agree with custardo. Mine are 5 and 2. I expect them to put their own clothes in the basket. And DD to fetch and carry as appropriate and put her nightie in her cot. She leaves a toy in DS's room - I say "DD take this into your room" and then praise her when she comes back. DS is supposed to make his bed. He is hopeless at it but I expect him to have a go. He is supposed to keep his bedroom tidy. And sometimes I have him set the table.

MeAndMyBoy · 04/07/2006 15:16

Yes DS is 3 and he loves helping me with things round the house, but this will lead on to his jobs in the house to do as he gets older. Currently he puts his dirty clothes in washing basket, sets the table and makes sure his jama's are on his bed in the mornings. He put the washing in for me last week - asked him to put all the red things in the machine and off he went.

We all live there so no reason why he can't get used to doing things round the house the same as DH and I do, if it gets to be a habit now hopefully it'll continue without too much hassle - well until he's about 12 anyway.

Misspiggy · 04/07/2006 16:04

DS1 (16) unloads and re-stacks the dishwasher once a day, puts out the wheelie bin on bin day, sorts and takes out recycling for collection plus keeps his room tidy (in the very loosest of terms ). Now he is off school after his exams til 6th Form in Sept I also expect him to put the washing on every day and put it out to dry ("expect" is sometimes the operative word but he does it most days when I remind him). DS2 (10) lays the table every night, empties the waste baskets before bin night once a week and keeps his room tidy plus feeds the cats if one of us hasn't done it already. They don't get paid for this as such but both receive pocket money which stops if they don't do their jobs.

speedymama · 04/07/2006 16:29

DTS are 2yo and they love helping. They will put away all their toys before they have their bath, they will dust (they each have their own duster). On Saturday I bought them their own brooms and dustpan & brush. They love cleaning the floor! They will water the plants in the garden, load and unload the washing machine, fetch the towels and their pyjamas etc.

I intend for my boys to be able to look after themselves by being able to cook, clean, iron, pay bills, be financially astute and understand that nobody owes them anything. The best time to start the lesson of life is at this age, imo.

KathyMCMLXXII · 04/07/2006 16:57

LOVE Presidento Custardo's Manifesto.

Any tips on how I can get my one year old helping, Custardo?

Tortington · 04/07/2006 17:04

pick crumbs up off floor and eat them?

KathyMCMLXXII · 04/07/2006 17:06

Oh, she already is helping then! Must remember to thank her next time.

Whizzz · 04/07/2006 17:35

DS (5) loves wiping down the paintwork !

harrisey · 04/07/2006 17:43

mine are 6, 4 and 2.
The 6 year old sets the table (with help from the 2 yo), helps tidy her own mess and helps with the dishwasher.
The 4yo helps witha lot of things but has no set chores as such - but he likes to help clear the table, dishwasher, and he LOVES to cook - grating cheese, stirring things (off the cooker obv), and hs to help tidy his toys.
2yo just likes being with me so mucks in with what I am doing. She was one of these sickening Miriam Stoppard 'your baby will like to watch you peel potatoes' babies and is more of a hindrance.
When they are a little older I will have a rota, just like my parents had for us!

fransmom · 05/07/2006 23:45

lol at miriam stoppard babies, harrisey sounds like my dd. just sat her on kitchen floor well away from the cooker and told her what i was doing when i cooked a sunday dinner once. she was really interested too bless her! she helps put her changing mat away and cream and wipes in her nappy bag. when she has a bath, i get her to put her toys away before the bath is emptied. i figured that if i can get her to do this now, it might be so much easier when she's older and more independent. she's 14mths and remembers her manners (well, most times anyway!)

sloweaters2 · 06/07/2006 00:24

I have tried and still am to get my two dss to tidy up theur room but when they start picking up toys they stop, look at them and start playing with them again so time goes by and the room is still untidy. I have gone in and ask them exactly what to pick up and where to put it and they look around as if they don't know what i'm talking about. they are 5 & 6. Any suggestions?

eidsvold · 06/07/2006 03:11

my dd1 is four next month and she has to pick up her toys - tidy up the loungeroom each night before she goes to bed. Anything she takes out - she puts away ( even ahev the 19month old doing it) with a bit of help and or encouragement.

SHe helps to make her bed, hang up her bath towel, sometimes helps put her clothes away - has to put her clothes ( and sometimes her sisters in the dirty clothes basket).

Any little task she can help with - she is allowed to. Even now unprompted will put her plate/bowl and cup on the bench next to the sink.

She also helps dh clean the table/high chair and their chisrs on the weekend - washing and drying and helps with sweeping too.

KathyMCMLXXII · 06/07/2006 09:41

Fransmom,she helps you put stuff away at 14 months?
Respect!

cremolafoam · 06/07/2006 09:49

have given up doleing out pocket money to dd (11) and now she does jobs around the house for small ammounts of cash:
jobs include
emptying dishwasher
washing car
sorting all clean pants and socks(i hate this job and she loves it!)
watering plants
hoovering
dusting
all jobs are worth between 20p and £1
she makes about £3-£4 a week
she does not get paid for laying the table or tidying her room.
I think it is much better than just doleing out the money as it feels more like we are a team.Dh does his fair share in the garden.

bamboozleslover · 06/07/2006 16:36

my mum got a new partner when i was 9 months old and i think this has a lot to do with how different me and my elder sister have turned out. at 22 she has difficulty with simple cookery tasks, washing and ironing. from about the age of 8 i have been able to do all of the above (couldn't iron shirts, or large items like sheets though - still can't if i'm honest and those full summery skirts with all the pleats are a nightmare!!) When mum used to go to work she would leave us a list in the holidays of things to do like hoovering, dishwasher, dusting, washing, doing the bathroom etc
Only if we did our chores did we get our pocket money.

cat64 · 06/07/2006 17:04

This reply has been deleted

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hotmama · 06/07/2006 17:18

My dd1 (21 months) 'helps' when I am polishing etc with her own duster - and is very proud. I have bought her a brush set and she loves sweeping. I think dd2 at 21 weeks is a little young to assist but will soon!

When I was growing up myself and my db did all and I mean all of the housework - my mum did the washing - she hated ironing so most things had to come out of the tumble dryer and put straight away - I don't think I had anything pure cotton until I was old enough to iron it myself!

Db tried to be crap and get out of the housework but my canny mum used to say he could take as long as he liked as he would keep on going until it was done - he soon speeded up.

Cheeky cow got a dishwasher and employed a cleaner when we left home!

bamboozleslover · 06/07/2006 17:34

i think my mum made a connection with pocket money cos she wanted us to learn you didn't get money for nothing - you had to earn it.