Chores - what ages are your DC and what daily or weekly jobs do they have?

[fletchaaarr]

I have DS1 (19), DS2 (8) and DD (18mths).

DS1 is mostly responsible for the dishwasher empyting and other ad hoc things

DS2 takes out recycling

DD makes mess

I want to write up a list so that everybody has a job or three rather than me having to ask the whole time (though I recognise that I will still have to), or do everything myself

?

[Karen999]

Dd1 is 8 - she is in charge of making her bed and sorting out her laundry (for me to collect on a Sat morning) She also has to clear away all her own rubbish etc (am really just making her responsible for herself at the mo)

Dd2 is 11 months...she is in charge of buffing the floors....I attach a little baby wipe to each foot as she whizzes around in her baby walker!!

[fletchaaarr]

Ah yes - DD is very good at wiping things with baby wipes. Let her get access to the packet and spend the next 10 minutes picking up the trail of 40 wipes that have each been used to clean a little bit of floor..

[Desiderata]

DS is 3.3. He helps me clean my local pub. His job is to hoover out the coal and wood fireplaces, to scrub the floor with a dish-washing brush, and to wind the hoover flex up when we're finished.

[Teuch]

Ds is 2 - he puts his dirty clothes in the washing basket, empties his own plates and cups from the dishwasher, puts powder in the dishwasher/washing machine.

When he is three he will be feeding me peeled grapes and topping up wine

am adopting "sogh"...so much more expressive!!

[wilbur]

Ds1 is 7 and he puts the recycling into bags the night before it is collected each week. he also brings his laundry basket to the washing machine each week.

Both he and dd(4) are supposed to make their beds each day, which they mostly, sort of do. They both also put their dishes in the dishwasher and their clothes in the laundry basket.

Ds2 (2) just wreaks havoc.

[fletchaaarr]

Oh - DS1 also picks his bro up from school 2 days a week

and runs a bath for DD each night

[fletchaaarr]

was a typo

but you are welcome to use it without copyright

[fletchaaarr]

Desi - DD likes helping with flexes too - NOT winding them back unfortunately.

DS2 was staying with his aunt this week, and although he didn't like to 20 minutes quite reading in the afternoon - he did like unloading the dishwasher, sooooo he might inherit that job

[ejt1764]

ds is 5 ... he sets the table for dinner, clears away his plate afterwards, puts his dirty washing in the laundry basket, helps me to fold the washing, and puts his clothes into his cupboards ... he also helps me with dd (who is 4 months)

He also likes to help with the cooking, and is a dab hand at rinsing rice before it's cooked.

... am also hoping for peeled grapes and cocktail making by the time he is 6 ...

[bozza]

DS is 6. Theoretically, he keeps his own bedroom tidy, makes his own bed, puts his dirty clothes in the basket, puts away his clean underwear, t-shirts and trousers. (I do hangy up clothes). He makes drinks for DD and himself. He also does some fetching and carrying for DD (doll's pram upstairs/downstairs etc). He packs his own swimming bag/football bag/book bag/suitcase for nights at Grandma's or sleepovers.

DD is 3. She supposedly helps with tidying her bedroom. Takes maximum effort from me for minimum input from her. She puts her dirty clothes in the basket and puts her clean underwear away. She sets the table and turns the washing machine off - have silly machine that beeps repeatedly when it has finished. So DD will run and twist the dial so that it is quiet until I am ready to empty it.

[LyraSilvertongue]

DSs are 3 and 5 and don't have any jobs except taking empty bottles, cans etc out to the recycling box.

[roisin]

My boys (8 and 10) like to ring the changes. They have to do one chore after tea every day, and two chores on Saturday/Sundays and in the holidays. But we don't have fixed responsibilities. Usually I tell them to do a specific job, but I do bear in mind their current preferences of things they do/don't like doing. They can both:
Sort laundry and load washing machine
Empty w/m and load tumble drier
Empty drier and sort/fold washing into piles
Put laundry away
Load d/w
Empty d/w
Sweep floors
Mop floors (still a bit messy at this one)
Clean bathroom
Empty bins
Sweep stairs
Sort recycling
Put bins out for bin days
Dust surfaces in living room
Hoover
Put shopping away
Hoover out the car
Rake up grass clippings
Empty compost rubbish into compost heap and swill out bowl
Weeding
Harvest/wash/chop/cook Rhubarb [this doesn't count as a chore though - it's a privilege!]
They also do other cooking/baking bits but not as a chore
Also make cups of coffee

That's all I can think of right now, but I'm sure there's loads more. They can't iron, but apart from that can handle most of the chores in the house.

[Psychomum5]

mine don't have set 'chores' so much, but when jobs need doing they are all expected to muck in and help.

I do expect them however to lay the table and makes drinks for dinner, and the older 2 are in charge f their lunchboxes and bedrooms, but as for the other jobs (ie, laundry/dishes/mopping floors/hoovering/dusting etc.......
nahhhh.....all for one and one for all

[fletchaaarr]

DS's do "muck in" with cleaning out cars and other jobs. I really want to have them having a regular responsibility, especially as I work full time, it would be nice to have some stuff done without me asking

[Psychomum5]

I do a list of the jobs that need doing per day, and tell everyone to look and cross off as they do them (mind, I say each day, I really mean when I am 'on one' and raving about lack of said help!!!!), and then expect them to do what I ask!!!!

maybe you could in fact do this on a regular basis and tell them that on whichever day aid job needs doing, you expect it done before you get home????

[pointydog]

The dds are as ad hoc about their chores as we are about ours.

They might like the list idea. Dh and I are too old for it, though - past hope

[fletchaaarr]

I really want a list though

[pointydog]

I mentioned a list to dd2 who was most enthusiastic. The novelty of it has won her over.

I will be asking the small ones of the house to a) put their clothes in a neat pile each evening b) keep their bedroom floor clear of garbage C) erm.. I might request a proper breakfast from them at the weekend

That would do. Fits in with my own chores.

[Psychomum5]

oooh.....ohhhhh.....my list idea is a winner.....

[fletchaaarr]

I am still the sane one OK?

So what shall I put on the list

[cory]

Hmmm a difficult one this. I would really like to have them doing regular chores, but dd's medical condition is so unpredictable, that I tend to grab her for little jobs when she seems ok.

Thought of having chores for ds, but it seems a bit unfair, her being so much older. Aso he has just been diagnosed with same disorder, and I'd rather not see it develop into a competition between them as to who is most poorly. So think I'll just carry on as I am letting them do ad hoc jobs.

My own Mum frequently laments the fact that she failed to train us up properly in household jobs when we were little (our memories do diverge to some extent here- I remember doing jobs, she claims I didn't).

I point out that both my three brothers and I are rather good cooks and perfectly capable of running our respective households.
-Yes, but I didn't teach you, she wails.
-Sorry, Mum, but the only person who cares about that is you.

So maybe there is hope.

[scaryteacher]

DS is 12, and has to keep the loo roll replenished; clear the table after dinner; pick up his mess when asked to; clear his room for the cleaning lady; and put his clean laundry away. I am trying to train him not to put it straight into the dirty laundry basket as putting it away interferes with whatever he is doing at the time. He also lays the table most nights. He also takes the stuff for composting down the garden, and stirs the contents of the compost bin if he's feeling really energetic!

[fletchaaarr]

Dealing with "stinky" compost is one thing that remains firmly in my domain!

DS1 is meant to take the bin out, but I have to ask him to otherwise we end up with a bin that is compacted and you can't shut the lid

[Muppett]

DS1 & DS2 both have to put dirty laundry in basket and put their clean laundry away. Set table, help clear table, make their own beds and generally keep the house tidy. They can't do the bin emptying not that I would expect them to at the moment as they are still quite young and can't reach the lid to open it anyway! If they want to earn extra pocket money they can for example cleaning the cars - just the inside.