Common chores for kids, especially teenagers, include washing dirty dishes, doing laundry and mowing the lawn. According to the Family Education website, it's important for your kids to participate in household chores, as chores teach your kids about responsibility, prepare them for life on their own and help them feel like a contributing member of your family. But figuring out the proper amount of chores for your kids can be a challenge.
Washing Dishes
Washing dirty dishes or drying cleaned dishes is a common household chore for kids that can be performed with or without adult supervision, depending on your child's age. According to a Sept. 30, 2009 article by Charlotte Safavi at The Huffington Post, it's important for your kids, especially boys, to participate in kitchen chores, such as washing or drying the dishes. Starting your kids on dish duty early on can help them become responsible adults, who perform their share of the housework. Safavi states that most of the full-time working mothers she knows end up performing the majority of household chores, which often represents an unfair division of labor. To help reduce the burden of household chores on one family member, consider having your kids wash the dishes at least several times each week.
Washing And Drying Clothes
Having your kids perform all aspects of the laundry process--sorting, preparing the washing machine and drying clothes--is an important way to teach them about independent living. According to a Aug. 7, 2008 article by Sue Shellenbarger at The Wall Street Journal, even though washing and drying clothes is considered a basic independent-living skill, a significant number of college students lack the ability to do their own laundry. Teaching your child how to use a washing machine and dryer, and insisting they take responsibility for this chore on a regular basis, will help them transition more easily to life on their own, once they leave the house. Because not knowing how to properly wash clothes is still a significant barrier for many teens, and because your teenagers may not have immediate access to washers and dryers in their college dorms, taking your teen on a guided trip of one of your local laundromats is a helpful way to teach them the fundamentals of clothes laundering.
Mowing Lawn
Mowing the lawn is common chore for many American teens and can be an effective contribution by your teenager to the overall functioning of your household. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, though, your kids should be at least 12 years old before they operate a lawn mower, and 16 years old if they'll be using a ride-on mower. Some important safety precautions your teenager should take while mowing the lawn include the following: wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes or boots; wear eye and hearing protection; perform a preliminary sweep of the area to pick up debris and prevent injuries from flying objects; and use a mower that possesses a control that stops the mower from moving forward if the handle is released. If you live in a colder climate that receives snow, consider swapping your teenager's summer mowing duties with raking in the fall and snow shoveling in the winter.
