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Chores for a 4 year old

10 replies

ShowerScene · 02/11/2020 12:27

Our 4 year old son started reception last month, but there have been 2 cases of covid in his school so he has ended up having a month out of school having to isolate in the first half term. My husband and I work full time from home so to be honest we have resorted to a lot of bad habits to get through the day such as just buying him loads of crap so he will be quiet and allow us to work - magazines, toys, sweets - largely as bribes.

As a result now his behaviour is pretty bratty as he just wants toys or magazines to be motivated to do anything. He constantly asks us to get things for him from the shop.

Anyway, he is quite motivated generally by reward charts, so we have decided to implement a reward chart again with pocket money so that he can understand the value of money himself and he can be better motivated that way.

Other than giving him 'stars' for things like getting dressed and brushing his teeth, we want to add in small chores. What sort of things do people get 4 year olds to do?

Just to point out, I don't think my son is a brat, he is very well behaved typically, but we have instilled these bad habits in him. I am hopeful that if we get a routine in place we can iron it out. I fully admit it has been our own fault.

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chickenyhead · 02/11/2020 12:29

Clearing away toys,

Laying the table.

Clearing the table.

Mine liked hoovering, but it took a long time for it to become a good standard.

Findahouse21 · 02/11/2020 12:31

I'd choose from these:
Lay the table
Wash up after lunch (dd does her own plastic plate, cup and cutlery and she loves this)
Put her clean clothes away
Put dirty clothes in the laundry basket
Make own bed

Not all, but just some to choose from

Trinpy · 02/11/2020 12:34

My 4 year old lays the table, helps with loading and unloading the washing machine, puts his dirty clothes in the laundry basket, helps prepare meals, dusts, tidies his room.

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ABabyPanda · 02/11/2020 12:35

Loading / unloading the washing machine, dryer, dishwasher (with my help)
Making his bed
Tidying up toys

That’s the extent of it really here

ABabyPanda · 02/11/2020 12:36

Oh also, helping prepare food (e.g. getting me the ham or cheese etc out the fridge)

Sandytoes86 · 02/11/2020 12:47

Good idea , I think suitable chores for a 4yo include: making their bed, laying the table, tidying their toys away, using a dustpan and bush to sweep. I have a 4yo and he would be able to do these things , I get him in to routine with them which also helps

ShowerScene · 02/11/2020 16:11

Thanks! These are all really great ideas.

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alonglongwaydown · 02/11/2020 16:44

@ShowerScene we had success with getting our DD to wash the dishes

ShowerScene · 03/11/2020 09:13

@alonglongwaydown Thanks

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Thatwentbadly · 03/11/2020 16:43

I would think carefully about linking these things to rewards what happens if he decided now or years down the line that he has just had Christmas and doesn’t need or want the reward so he he won’t help at home/brush his teeth/tidy up.

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