# What chores do your children do?



## haggle-b

Just wondered what chores your children do for you.

My 16 yr old washes up twice a week and my 12 yr old lays the table 4 nights a week. 

They both still complain they have to do these, apparently none of their friends have to do chores. I don't pay them for them either which they would be happier with. They get regular pocket money once a month, altho at the mo eldest is working part time so I only pay her phone contract for her.

OH thinks they should both be doing a lot more, especially the elder one.

I just wish they wouldn't moan about the little they have to do.

They are also expected to keep their rooms tidy but the 12 yr olds room is a tip most of the time, she just doesn't get why she cant live in a pig sty if she wants to.

What do your kids do?


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## JASMAK

My kids are pretty busy. They are only really home weekends, but have sports and tutoring on weekends too. They do things when I ask, but no real set chores. They clean the car, shoe closet, cook, they clean their own rooms, laundry, making own breakfast ect., they are 9 and 10. My 3 year old nothing much yet


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## tasha41

Elyse is 4 and she has to tidy her room and make her bed. I also ask her to set the table while I'm finishing up dinner and take the newspaper to the recycling (it's right outside our door basically), not with any pattern just if she's sitting around waiting for me or bugging me while I'm trying to get things done, I can spend time with her faster if she helps me out a little bit.

I am probably a mean mum lol but I don't care, it's not my job to be her servant, we are a family, we all have to help each other and take care of our home :lol:


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## suzib76

Mine don't do chores

My mum used to have me Hoover every day after school and do washing, ironing, cleaning etc at the weekends all on top of looking after my (9years) younger brother until about 8pm each evening. I picked him up from childminder after I got out of school and walked the 3 miles to her house, then I got the bus home with him, again another 3 miles, made his tea and he was sleeping by the time she showed face most nights

For that reason I am quite against kids having set chores but Leah is incepredibly helpful ( she is 12) and often does things around the house, just today she cleaned the bathroom) but she has years of chores ahead of her so I am more than happy just to allow her to be a kid for now


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## OmarsMum

He cleans up his toys, takes his plate to the kitchen, "helps" in making the beds, when he messes up with papers he cleans up when he's done, but he doesnt like the mess, he puts back his balance bike in it's place when he's done. Last night when we went to bed he remembered that his blocks are still on the floor in his play room, I reassured him that I will put them back in the box after he falls asleep. 

My cousins are 13 & 14, for me they're spoilt, they mess up their room with clothes, they dont do their beds, they dont even pick up their dirty clothes to put them in the laundry box. My aunt works full time, she has a full time cleaner but it's not an excuse for the girls to mess around, my aunt has 2 younger boys (4 & 7), her MIL lives with them & she's always sick, she has loads of responsibilities but her daughters are useless. 

We had basic chores at home like making ours beds, doing the dishes after dinner (we have a dish washer), unloading the dishwasher, the washing machine, dryer, making our own bathrooms during weekends (we had 4), putting our dirty clothes in laundry box & so on, those werent scheduled chore, it was self care & helping our mum

I have a full time cleaner, but I do expect Omar to help in the basics when he's older.


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## Larkspur

I don't have kids that old, but I thought I'd chip in with what my brother and I used to do. 

From as early as I can remember my brother and I were expected to make our own beds every morning, keep our rooms tidy and put our own laundry in the laundry basket. 

I'm not sure what age regular 'chores' started (I don't really like that word, I think of it more as just being participating members of the household, haha) but probably from the time we were 10, we had an alternating chart of either loading the dishwasher in the evening and making next day lunches, or feeding the dogs/fish every day, walking dogs twice a week and brushing them once a week. 

Through my teenage years we had a cleaner, so we never vacuumed or mopped or scrubbed the kitchen, but we always had a 'Saturday chore', which might be doing a bit of ironing or dusting, or we'd help make the lunch or whatever. 

Also, from the time we were 13, we each cooked a meal one night a week, whatever we wanted. We both actually loved this, and we are really good cooks now, although I think my parents had to put up with some pretty terrifying 'concept meals' during the early years! 

We probably moaned a bit, but not much. I think it was just always an expected part of family life and I didn't feel it was much of a burden on us.

I think your kids could definitely do more! I already do 'let's clean up' in the living room and bedroom at the end of the day and end of bathtime with my 15-month-old. He helps put everything away. As soon as he's ready to start helping with preparing food or putting things in the dishwasher etc, I will encourage him to participate.


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## _Mouse_

My son is 17 months and he helps with chores. He puts dirty clothes in the basket, help load the dry with clothes, sort clothes for washing, puts away his toys, empty and load the dish washer, with us helping of course. :thumbup:


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## Yo_Yo

My eldest has to tidy up after herself, and tidy the playroom. Also helps my load the dishwasher and put shopping away. She is 7.

My youngest has just turned 2 and she helps load the washing machine lol.


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## Mummy1995

DD is too young for 'chores' although I make her help me put her toys away when she's been playing with them so she's learns that if she makes a mess she tidies it! I'm a long parent so with no partner to help (at the mo) ill be expecting her to help more than if I had one. So I shall probably set a chore a day like Hoover the sitting room or wash the dishes. And ill make sure she keeps her room tidy, makes her bed and puts her plate in the kitchen when she's old enough. 

My parents however never made us do anything other than tidy up when we made a mess and keep our rooms tidy. They said due to the amount of school work we got (which was loads) that they'd compensate by letting us relax when we'd finished our school work instead of doing chores. And that worked for us! :) 

I think the moaning is normal though ;)


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## mummy_ellie09

DS helps me by tidying his toys away, and takes his rubbish to the bin and his dirty plate etc to the kitchen and puts them in the sink ready for me :)


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## xprincessx

Callum is 3 

He tidies his toys away (when i ask!)
Puts his rubbish in the bin (automatically - i never have to ask)
Gets his own plates out at meal times (plastic!)
Gets a cloth/tissue and wipes up any spillages he makes (again I never have to ask for this either)

That's about it, the only thing i 'expect' him to do is tidy up his toys but he just does the rest out of his own mind. He's a very anxious child and is very 'bothered' by mess


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## River54

My dd is 17. I've always had her do things to help out when needed. No set chores. She goes to school, and has activities and homework that take up alot of time, then she does do some outside work when she can. So, when on holidays, or when I know she has time, I'll ask her to maybe do 1 or 2 of these things, but not all the time:
-take out recycling
-take out garbage
-vacuum house
-clean bathrooms
-do laundry
-clean her room
-clean turtle tank
-etc. 
-bake cookies
-prep dinner
I try to judge what she has to do and how much free time she has, etc. Then I'll either write on the white board on the fridge a couple things I'd like her to do that day while she is home. - I won't do it every day she has a holiday - because she needs holiday time as well, but yeah, she does do chores (to help and so she knows how to do the stuff when she moves) , just not on a regular basis. Consequently, she doesn't loudly complain or anything, and she knows it helps.
We've been doing it that way for most of her life, and seems to work well. I wanted her to have her own time to be a kid.
We pay for her basic phone plan, she pays for any extras, and she doesn't get allowance, but she does work by umpiring or refereeing to get some petty cash.


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## aimee-lou

My 2 youngest are too young and my eldest does a few little bits as and when i ask. Mainly things like taking away his plates or rubbish, helping with dusting or Hoover.


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## mummy2o

My son is 6, with autism and does some basic chores as he has a brain of a 3/4 year old. He has to tidy up his books/toys if he makes a mess at the end of the day, put rubbish in the bin (this by far is his favourite as he's obsessed with bins), put clothes in the laundry basket and if he's in the right mood he'll come and help me load the washing machine. He will sometimes take his plate into the kitchen and chuck it in the sink so only let him do this with his plastic ones in fear of breaking the plates! He will automatically put his dvd's back in the right boxes so not really sure if that's a chore as its something we taught him to do.


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## kerrie24

My 3 dont do much at all,I will ask them to tidy their own rooms but I end up doing it properly afterwards.If they leave cups,wrappers etc around I tell them to move it but at least a few times a day I just do a 'sweep' and take all dishes,washing,crisp packets etc out myself.If their dad hasnt grasped how to pick up his rubbish,how am I meant to get the kids to do it.


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## Laura726

Hi everyone! I'm new to bnb... I have three daughters ages 7, 4, and 2. My 7 and 4 year old have to clean their room, take laundry to the laundry room, and pick up messes.


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## Rhi_Rhi1

My 5 year old ;
Makes his own bed
tidies his own toys
puts dishes in the kitchen after dinner 
he will even occasionally hoover the living room for me (henry hoover not an upright) - but he offers lol 

Growing up we were all very independent; I moved out at 17 and had no issue at all taking care of myself, yet I have friends in their 20's now who still can't use a washing machine etc!! 

once we were old enough we did our own washing (including stripping our beds etc) 
and helped keep the house clean. It is the job of everyone (old enough) in a house to contribute to its upkeep IMO :)


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## Baby Bell

My LO is too young, but my sister and I used to help out and I expect LO too when he's old enough! Between my sister and I we used to do the dishes/clean the kitchen( not mopping, we weren't trusted with that:haha:) and polish/tidy/Hoover the living room, between school finishing and my mum getting home from work at 5pm. It wasn't my mum but my dad who asked us to do this. We were also expected to keep our rooms tidy, which I failed miserably at.......I'm just not a very tidy person, it's a real struggle for me, I struggle in my own home now as an adult and at work , I have to work hard to get my bay tidy:haha:
As a teenager my mum started asking us to help with ironing, which I hate, so we came to an agreement I didn't do ironing and she didn't do mine, which worked for me I just ironed as I went, rather than spending hours infront of the ironing board (I still don't get why people do that:shrug:)


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## Rhi_Rhi1

Ditto ^^^ people who iron before they fold the washing away .... they just end up ironing it again lol


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## seoj

Their friends don't have to do ANY chores? Seriously!? Although I find it hard to believe, LOL, I guess some parents don't give their kids responsibility. I had chores EVERY Sat from the tim I can remember... and me, my Mom and brother had to each help clean the house from top to bottom- we took turns on certain things or made a chore wheel (yup, we did! lol). 

My SD (who's 16 now) has to do her own laundry, keep her room and her bathroom straight, clean he own dishes, put the clean dishes away and sweep whenever she notices messy floors- which, is often considering we have toddler too! haha... 

My toddler even feeds the cat (she likes it and even tried to feed him when he's already been fed- haha)- and if she spills something I hand her a towel or wipe to help clean it up. She would do that on her own though- she thinks its fun! She'll even show me if her sippy cup spills droplets and runs to get a towel. LOL. 

I think kids shoud have chores- they are part of your family too and you should all pitch in on things. Since our teenager has a car now she works part time (although in between jobs and looking hard for a new one atm)- to pitch in for gas etc... she even saved up for her car herself (we only pitched in a litte). Even though we CAN afford to give her more- I think earning it gives her a better appreciation for it. 

IDK- just my two cents ;)


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## messica

Save for cleaning with deep cleaners my kids can do about anything I ask them to help with (they're 9 and almost 11).....dishes, laundry, picking up after themselves, vacuuming and sweeping up, taking care of pets etc. They don't do all of that everyday but do a bit here and there regularly for sure. 


I absolutely agree giving children age appropriate responsibilities that encourage independence is so important. I'm not sending any son of mine into the arms of a woman someday who will be expected to cater to him being a slob, nor am I sending any daughter of mine into the arms of a man who will expect her to be his slave. I'm sure not sticking around forever to do it all so why should they learn or think I will be!


This is a great list for age appropriate chores! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/149463281355759373/

Being a part of a family young or old means taking care of your own messes and helping your family keep common areas tidy!


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## Lucasmum

Lucas dosent have chores as such he knows to keep his room tidyish and put things away after himself, he would wash up at every oppertunity possible but he is terrible at it and insists on having a £1 for doing it so I dont let him often :haha: The only thing he does regularly is load the washing machine he has severe OCD about colours lights and darks not a clue where he gets it from, but if his dad puts a load in when I'm at work he will pull it out and check it funnily enough he dosent fuss so much when its me doing it :blush:


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## Rachel_C

My kids are a lot younger (4 and 2) but I expect them to pull their weight. They make their beds, put clothes in the washing basket, tidy away anything they've played with, help set the table, clear their plates from the table after eating, help carry shopping into the kitchen from the front door, help me unload the dishwasher and washing machine, wipe up stuff they spill etc. I don't really consider any of those chores though, it's just doing their share to keep the house as it started off. I count things like cleaning the bathroom or kitchen properly (other than wiping up a mess you've just made), hoovering whole rooms, dusting, mopping etc to be chores. At the moment they're a bit little for it but they do help me clean the windows and try to help hoover. I think when they're a bit older I'll try to have a set time when we all do chores at the weekend, adults and kids together, so nobody feels it's unfair. Other than that, the kids will continue to do what they can of the stuff we do on a daily basis.


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## tallybee

They are expected to generally pull their weight round the house. They are responsible for their own rooms and also picking up after themselves. They do dishes and tidy generally but there aren't set chores it's just all chipping in to get stuff done x


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## JJKCB

my son is 5 and dosent do any... personally hate the word chore i envisage images of brain washed children doing the jobs their parents are supposed to do (at 7 year old a school friend came in with a 3rd degree burn on her arm off ironing... one of her many household 'chores' - shocking) I also get ridiculous flash backs of getting the slipper for the tiniest thing out of place and swore I would never put my child through any of that... kids are kids not labour

my son opt through his own choice to help out - although he usually just gets in the way and slows things down but he tries


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## messica

JJKCB said:


> my son is 5 and dosent do any... personally hate the word chore i envisage images of brain washed children doing the jobs their parents are supposed to do (at 7 year old a school friend came in with a 3rd degree burn on her arm off ironing... one of her many household 'chores' - shocking) I also get ridiculous flash backs of getting the slipper for the tiniest thing out of place and swore I would never put my child through any of that... kids are kids not labour
> 
> my son opt through his own choice to help out - although he usually just gets in the way and slows things down but he tries


I'm curious who you believe is going to tidy up after your son when he's grown? If he doesn't learn now, and picks up on your extremely negative attitude in regards to children merely helping here and there, then when and how is he ever going to learn?


My children aren't "brain washed" because they help take care of our family home. They help:

1.) because they are grateful and know how blessed they are, taking pride and care of our home is a way for them to show gratitude for the blessings their dad and I work so hard to provide them

2.) because they know they are skills they will need to learn to gain independence as adults

3.) because they know that it helps me accomplish the housework faster which means more one on one time I have to spend with them. I love that they value my time and want to free up as much of it as possible so we can be together doing fun things, instead of just in the same room as each other as I chase after them being slobs :)


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## Noo

He is responsible for his own room including: tidying, washing basket, making his bed (we strip) and putting his clothes away once returned washed and folded to him. He doesn't have *house chores* but is expected to pick up after himself - rubbish in the bin, plates to the kitchen/dishwasher, shoes neatly at the door and his coat and bag hung up. He makes his own packed lunch before school, is expected to put his own uniform out the night before and ensure his own bag is ready. I am trying to instil independence to look after and care for himself but the household jobs are my/DH responsibility. I may occasionally ask him to entertain his brother for ten minutes or fetch me something but I won't be giving specific non self-care jobs till prob high school (11). I feel he does enough for 8 yrs old.


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