What chores do your children do and do you pay them for it?

[confusedlots]

I'm thinking that we should start implementing regular chores for our 6 and 7 year old. I will ask them to tidy their room when they get messy (usually I will help them with this) or to help set the table for dinner (not every night) or feed the cat, but I think that they probably should have specific jobs which are their responsibility and which they can do independently without help or guidance from me.

So if your children do regular chores, what would be reasonable for a 6 and 7 year old? And do you pay them for it, or just expect that this is something they need to do to contribute to family life? We don't give pocket money either, although wouldn't be averse to starting pocket money to start teaching them financial awareness. They do currently get some birthday and Christmas money and are good at working out what they can buy with it or deciding to save it for something else.

Our 7yo has a tick list. She gets £1 pocket money, but a "bonus" £1 if I tick list is done. It's very simple stuff - feed the cat and the fish before school, clean clothes put away, dirty ones in the basket, bedroom floor clear, school clothes&bag sorted the night before, plate scraped and put on the counter.

When I was a child I had a new chore on my list each year, and and raise in my pocket money. I'll probably do something similar. I was never responsible for anything really big though, as my parents didnt want to take too much time away from homework, music, reading....

Our child does things when asked we don't pay as they contribute like we do to all living together

Still concentrating on the whole tidy up or just put things away after yourself thing unfortunately

Mine have two lots of chores.

One that they do because it's part of living in a household and you have to do. They also get a very basic amount of pocket money.

The second ones are for more pocket money. They get to choose from a list (on a 2 week schedule) what they want to do. If they don't do them they don't get the money and they also don't get to pick first next time it's their turn.

• They also get a very basic amount of pocket money that's not linked to chores or anytbjnb else

Our DSs help when asked and don’t get paid for it (age 11 and 8) as we all do chores for the whole family because we all live here.

To be honest they also don’t get pocket money as neither of them ever wants to buy anything…we have got DS1 a bank account which he’s used once (on a trip with school, pre prompted by me that he should buy himself a drink if he anted one). We buy them stuff they need and have discussions about prices and options then (and the joy of a bargain). I’m waiting for the desire for certain clothing etc to kick in (suspect it’ll be DS2 as DS1 is autistic and very clear that he thinks labels are for fools).

We ‘team’ tidy once a week, usually a Thursday night so that ‘mummy isn't grumpy on a Saturday morning! ( they know me well and this seems enough of a reward!) 🫣

We draw ‘jobs’ from a hat! Keeps it fair and ‘fun’…😆😂

Edit to add, we have jobs ongoing, like taking plates away. We don't leave every job to a Thursday night!😊

You don't have to have this cracked before you do the other stuff. My 10 year old is very scatty and needs loads of reminders about tidying up behind himself but hoovers stairs and mops floors beautifully. He's been able to sort what washing goes on the tumble dryer (not in summer obviously!) since he was 3 as it is a case of matching the symbols - but his big sister still moans about that task.
Play to their strengths a bit. You mind a dirty dish left on the table less if the child cleaned the whole kitchen yesterday.
We don't pay for tasks specifically as I don't want a negotiation every time I want something done. If I'm wfh and see rain I'll send a kid to bring in the washing, and not pay them. It is probably their clothes! They get pocket money not tied to the chores.
Saturday morning everyone does some tasks, parents usually clean bathrooms, and do random tasks that need doing that week, kids often mop and hoover but sometimes we pick an area that got really messy for a sort out. We aren't too rigid.
A couple of times I've got them to work hard on something and rewarded them with extra time gaming, but not for basics like feeding the fish. Big jobs like decluttering all the craft stuff!

Thanks but that is the important bit for us. So that I want her to do.

Obviously she can do other stuff and if I want her to do other stuff at one particular time then I'll tell her that etc etc but that is the thing that we're working on

Dd is nearly 11, she has had pocket money since she was 6 cos I got fed uo of endless 'mummy can I have" tantrums in the supermarket.

She got (and still gets) £5/week provided she has been good, keeps her room tidy and helps with things like setting/clearing the table, feeding the animals.

However, if she assists in additional tasks like cleaning out my car, sweeping the stairs, cleaning the bathroom she can even herself extra.

I agree that a certain degree of expectation for family life exists but we also need to reward over and above behaviour.

At that age mine helped tidying, especially toys and shoes. He also had to hang up the socks and pants on the indoor airer. Unload the dishwasher (apart from glasses) and lay the table.

Both of our kids have set chores and we give them pocket money for completing them all. My teen DS washes up every week day and does the laundry, my 9yo sweeps the stairs once a week, wipes down windowsills and banisters and empties the upstairs bins into a black bag.

I would start with something easy for age 6/7. Sweeping and dusting/wiping down the table after dinner for example shouldn't take too much effort but gets them into the habit of helping out around the house.

I'm no task master but when I was growing up, none of the kids were expected to help out around the house and my poor mum did everything. We all chip in around here. Husband too.

I've always felt uncomfortable about paying for chores, they should do chores because they live in the house not to get money. Extra tasks like washing the car or cleaning the fridge get paid (I have a 13 yo who requests extra jobs for extra money!).
A 6 & 7 year old could be keeping their rooms clean, putting clothes away, tidying up the living room and helping with dinner.

Not sometime trying to advertise a product then.....