Daily chores/weekly chores

[Faithr]

I can't believe I am such an old mom and I still don't have a handle on this chore thing. It seems like I go in and out of it. Housekeeping is way down on my list of priorities, I go through phases where I can expend energy trying to train the kids and then I go through phases where I just let things fall apart and try to do most of it myself and feel really overwhelmed about it. But I realize I am really doing a disservice to my kids not to train them better in picking up after themselves and pitching to help all the family live more peacefully and orderly. Sooo, tell me how many chores you have your kids do daily/weekly and their ages too.

 

Thanks.

[Loupelou]

My kids that do chores are 15,13,10,8,6, and 4. We have a job chart on the wall, I change it periodically so they don't get bored of it and so I can be sure certain rooms aren't being neglected:001_smile:. We have a daily chart, each room has a small laminated chart on the wall where it can be seen. Each room has daily requirements with extras being noted with a star on a specific day. The little ones make their beds, and clean their rooms. They also clean the bathrooms, do dishes, and assist the older kids with extra jobs like the basement and garage. We've been doing it long enough that it is a rare occasion to have them complain. Now if I could just get the older ones to keep a clean room!:tongue_smilie:

[MamaT]

I have a very detailed chore list for my children who range in age from 9 to 15. It is too long to post, but I will send it to you if you pm me.

[tricia]

This is another area I have HAD to simplify. And it works since I have so many kids. Looking at your children's ages it should work for you too. We gave up on the 'chore charts' as we homeschoolers know them and now we work like this.

 

Each has their own job and they keep it for a couple years. This way there is no going back and forth with them over who has what every week. Then after a couple years when one child 'grows' out of a chore we simply pass it down to the next in line. That's it. So if I see the livingroom hasn't been cleaned I know right off who to call for without having to track down a chart or schedule. And when we pass down the jobs it normally only takes them a few days to get used to it. We have done it this way for about 10 years now.

[KRG]

My son is 11. Here are his chores:

 

Keep room clean

Vacuum bedroom

Clean his bathroom

His laundry

help load and unload dish washer

Bring trash cans in

Water plants

Dust piano, his room, TV and computer

[elise1mds]

DS6:

DAILY

Make his bed

Pick up toys/clean room

Put all dirty laundry in the hamper

AS NEEDED

Fold and put away laundry (twice a week usually)

Put away cooking utensils and all dishes that go in cabinets he can reach from a standing position (he's 4'4" so this is quite a bit)

Fix his own - and sometimes his sister's - breakfast on weekends if he wakes up early and doesn't want to wait on me to get up and fix something (there is a list of acceptable food on the fridge for him to reference - he can use the toaster on his own, and he's learning to use the microwave)

 

DD4

DAILY

Pick up toys/clean room

Put dirty clothes in the hamper

AS NEEDED

Put away silverware

Put away clothes in her drawer that I have folded

 

Others like brush teeth, get dressed, etc. are things they do, but I didn't feel the need to list them. As they grow, these lists will get longer. They actually do quite a bit around here other than this, but those are their 'official' chores. My DD loves to clean the bathroom (I make my own nontoxic cleaners), and when she does that, DS often wants to clean something, too, so I'll hand him the "Windex" and paper towels and let him go to town. I want them to be totally self-sufficient in their late teens. Fingers xed...

[OrganicAnn]

It sounds like chores are not the problem, consistency is the problem. What I would suggest is find something that all the children can do everyday (clear their plate from the table or make their beds) and add that task to your daily routine. When they all do it without being asked and up to your standards, when add another task. The key is consistency and making it a habit for them and for you. Once you run out of daily chores, then add weekly chores.

[Faithr]

Organic Ann, you are very wise! I have tried chore charts umpteen times and they never, ever work for me. I'm just not a chart kind of person. Anything that has ever lasted for me is to simply have a set time during the day where we all pitch in and do what needs doing. The kids usually gravitate to whatever chore they feel like doing at the time. We run around so much in the evening anymore that my usual time (this was a couple years ago!) was right before and after dinner to tidy up, put laundry away, etc, got ignored and when we are finally home, I'm just too tired to do anything or make anybody do anything.

 

So I just have to figure out a set time when most of us are available and we can start from there. I have gotten into terrible habits and the kids have gotten lazy, so it is going to take a big jump start to get us rolling again.

[mamato9]

I'm a lot like you. We have three set chore times a day for half an hour or till its done which is more like 15minutes. After every meal they do a quick clean up. Sometimes I set the timmer and they have to race around getting everything picked up. They love to see how fast they can get things done. I still have a lot of little ones that just mess up the house a lot. But at least three times a day the four main rooms dinning room, kitchen, livingroom and bathroom are picked up and cleaned. Maybe not perfectly but liveable ;). Other than that I've asked DH to keep the kids accountable to him. If their rooms are not picked up then they get no priveldges in the evening. Saturdays we do a little bit deeper clean. I just make a detailed like of everything I want done like dusting, clean under the couches, scrub bath tub and then the kids chose what they want to do. I tell them they have to pick the not so fun jobs too. That has been the best way for me to get work out the kids and they actually have with it.