WHEN SHOULD YOU GET YOUR CHILD INVOLVED IN HOUSEHOLD CHORES? 

September 22, 2020 /

Written by Feba Maryann      

If you are a stay-at-home parent, managing the house along with cleaning after your kids all day could turn out to be mentally and physically exhausting. Moreover, you might feel like you don’t have enough quality time to spend with your kids. The best way to tackle this situation is to get your children to help out with household chores. Chores help your kids to be responsible and competent. It helps in developing their motor skills and learning new life skills. It also gives them a sense of belonging which helps in building up their relationship skills.    

However great this sounds, how do you get your children to clean up after themselves and help around the house? How do you assign age-appropriate chores? Well keep reading and find out! 

Initially, getting your kids to help out will definitely be more work for you. Doing all the work by yourself might seem like a better way out. But hang in there, you will eventually see your little ones wanting you to help you more … be patient it’s worth it, I promise!  

When Should You Start?  

You can start training your child as early as 2 years old. The right time to begin is when your child is in a growing phase where he/she imitates whatever you do at home. Around this age, your child will be able to communicate and follow your cues.  

Make sure you appreciate your child’s effort by rewarding them, a cheerful applause would go a long way. Consistency is the key to success, your little helpers will eventually start helping out even without your guidance.   

Assign age-appropriate tasks to your child and let them know what they will get in return after it’s done. For small kids, use a reward chart to track completed chores. If your kids are old enough, talk to them about their responsibilities and make a chore timetable together. If your child feels motivated by pocketing some money doing chores, go with it. Explain the chores clearly to them along with what’s expected from them. 

Here are some ideas for chores for children of different age groups: 

2-3 years  

  • Clean Up After Playtime  
  • Sorting Clothes By Colour  
  • Fill Family Pet’s Food Dish  
  • Wipe Up SpillsPile Books And Magazines
  •  Pile Books And Magazines
  • Throw Away Food Scraps In The Garbage Bin

During this time, children love to copy what you do. Use this as a strategy to get them to help around. You can start by teaching them to do the tasks step by step, with an element of fun. 

For example, sing a ‘Clean-Up ‘song while you teach them to put their toys away. This could brighten up your toddler and make them want to help you out.  

4-5 Years  

  • Bring In Mail  
  • Water Your Plants/ Pull Weeds 
  • Bring in Mail
  • Water Your Plants/Pull Weeds

You can start using visual checklists filled with funny pictures to help them complete their tasks. This gets them used to a specific routine and helps them understand the concept of time.  

6-7 Years  

  • Help Out With Laundry 
  • Set the Table
  • Clean the Bathroom
  • Help Pack Lunch
  • Set the Dinner Table 

At this age, your kid can be more independent. Although, you should still keep monitoring them every day.  

8-9 Years  

  • Vacuum The Living Room  
  • Put Away Groceries  
  • Help Out With Making Dinner  
  • Make Snacks  
  • Take Your Family Pet For A Walk  
  • Mop Floors
  • Above 10 Years
  • Clean the Bathrooms
  • Wash Your Car
  • Iron Clothes
  • Babysit Younger Siblings
  • Change Bed Sheets

Homework and school activities could make your child slack off. Use a proper reward system to keep them motivated. It is advisable to find an alternative to pocket money as it might tag a price to the work done.   

These are many tasks you can assign to your children to help share the load and down the road, sharing housework helps families work better and reduces overall stress. When there is less to do around the house, you could focus on bonding together as a family. It prepares them for adult life while giving them the experience of working together as a team. Remember to keep them motivated, rotating jobs regularly among family members will help.