Part of raising children into responsible adults is teaching them how to run a home. While children may balk at doing chores, having jobs to do around the house gives kids a sense of pride in their surroundings. Start when your children are toddlers, and continue to expect increasing amounts of help as they grow. Teach your children that chores are simply a part of daily life, and that their participation is needed for a smoothly running home.
Mealtime Chores
It takes a lot of work to prepare, serve and clean up after three meals a day, and Mom should not be doing it all. Very young children can learn how to set and clear the table with unbreakable dishes. Consider storing plastic plates and bowls in a lower cabinet or drawer to give little ones some autonomy in completing their mealtime chores. Preschoolers can also help to stir pancake batter, toss salads and crack eggs.
Once children reach school age, they can learn how to wash the dishes by hand or load the dishwasher. Older kids can also sweep the floor and wipe the counters after a meal. By the time your child is a pre-teen he may be able to prepare for and clean up after an entire meal, and may enjoy giving you a break from the kitchen on a weekly basis.
Laundry
Laundry is another chore that seems unending in busy families. From the time they can walk, toddlers should learn to place their dirty clothing in the hamper or laundry basket. As they grow, they can practice learning their colors by helping you sort laundry. Preschoolers can help fold socks and washcloths, and older kids should be responsible for putting their own laundry away. Before reaching their teens, kids should be fully capable of sorting, washing, drying, folding and putting away their own laundry.
General Cleaning
Each member of the household should be responsible for her own items around the house. Periodically set a timer and encourage everyone, from toddlers to teens, to scurry around the house and put back any stray objects.
As children grow, they can learn how to care for the different rooms and surfaces in the home. Little children can follow you with a spray bottle of mild dishwashing liquid and water solution, and can tackle little fingerprints on the walls. School-aged kids can dust, and older kids can mop the floors. Show children how to properly clean a bathroom once they are old enough to be trusted with the cleansers.
Outdoor Chores
Involve your kids in taking care of the outside of your home as well as the inside. Young kids can help shovel sidewalks and walkways. Purchase a child-sized rake and encourage your child to help you rake the leaves in the fall. Children often enjoy gardening, and you can teach your kids how to tell the difference between a weed and a flower that you planted. Also teach your kids how to tidy, vacuum and wash a car. When your teenagers are ready to learn how to drive, give them the chore of changing the oil in the car and checking the fluids periodically.
