How to Assign Age-Appropriate Chores
- 1). Make a list. Write down everything that you feel needs to be accomplished around your house either daily or weekly. Having a guideline you can follow is of the utmost importance. Once you have written down all that needs to be done, rate the difficulty of each chore. Doing the dishes requires more time and effort than setting the table for dinner. Your list will then make it easier for you to distribute the chores evenly among all of your children according to their ages and abilities.
- 2). Call a family meeting. Sit with your children and show them the list you have just comprised. The easiest way to engage your children in helping is to give them a voice in the process. From 5 years old to 18, there will be something that everyone can do. Just make sure that it's equally distributed and fair. Explain to your older children that they may be getting the more difficult chores because they are capable of handling them. If you make this clear from the start, you will be saving yourself complaints and arguments in the future.
- 3). Give each child a list. While time consuming, this will enable them to look at their sheet and know what needs to be done. For younger children who may not be able to read, make them a list so they feel important, but keep it yourself as a reminder of what you have given them to do.
- 4). Chores for ages 3-7. The younger children generally will not complain because they are eager to help. Give them chores like cleaning their room, picking up their toys when they are done playing with them, helping you place your clothes from the washer into the dryer and putting their dirty clothes in the dirty laundry. The earlier you instill these lessons in your children, chances are it will soon become second nature to them. You can even let them help feed any pets you may have. This will make them feel like mommy's big helper.
- 5). Chores for ages 8-12. As your children grow older, they will be able to handle more responsibility and should be given more to do. Children in this age group can fold and put away their own clothes, make their beds in the morning, keep their rooms tidy, set and clear the dinner table, wash dishes and vacuum every now and then. These chores are a gradual transition into being given more responsibility. You may need to teach them the proper way to do some of these things, but that's OK.
- 6). Chores for ages 13-18. For this age group, the chores are stepped up a bit. They can take out the garbage, mow the yard, rake leaves, clean the garage, clean the bathroom when it's needed and help with making dinner. While these may seem like a lot to have them do, they need to be challenged. If parents do not raise the bar for their children, they will not go into the world prepared for the responsibilities life has waiting for them.
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