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Help me assign chores to these kids


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AT 8 my ds was able to make his bed, clean his room, wash towels in the washer, clean the bathroom, put away dishes, set the table, put away clothes, help with yard work, feed the cats and do litter boxes. And I say able - not always willing.

 

My dd is 3 and nothing is working there. I do expect her to help carry things, put away toys, put her plate on the counter by the sink, and so on. She does help me sort the clothes for washing. A friend had her 3 yr old son responsible for changin out the toilet paper in the house when the roll was empty. My dd doesn't have a clue and it is beyond her. Oh, she is also expected to help with her personal care (with supevision) such as putting her clothes/shoes on, attempting to brush hair/teeth, and washing her body in the bath.

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My 7yo tidies the living room, waters outdoor planters (we don't have indoor plants), washes the kitchen table, puts away laundry (not necessarily folded :)) for herself and younger sister, brings laundry down to washer/dryer, tidies room.

 

My just-turned 4yo folds/puts away napkins, washes kitchen chairs, collects chicken eggs, sorts laundry into drawers for herself and older sister (they share a room/dresser), tidies room (not very well), sorts shoes into appropriate rooms.

 

They can both set the table with moderate success if you're not too picky about utinsel and cup placement.

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Eight year olds can do all sorts of things, many of which the pp listed.

 

At three, they can help put away silverware (while you watch - and no sharp knives), learn to make their beds, put away shoes, learn where their laundry goes (clean and dirty), hold the dust pan while you sweep.

 

There are not a lot of things that they will be able to do well, but that's not really the point at three. You want them to get into the habit of contributing and when they are that young it's pretty easy to do that. My kids love chores until they hit 5 or 6. So the silverware might not be neatly stacked, their drawer might need to be tidied after they put their pants away, and their bed might be full of bumps, but they are learning. And a little extra effort to build the chore habit now can go a long way in a few years!

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Eight can do so many things. They can empty the dishwasher (no sharp knives), sweep, put away or sort laundry, mop (with a Swiffer mop), clean out the car (with supervision), clean their own room, dust, wipe down the bathroom (with a non-toxic wipe)...

 

Three can sweep (you'll have to sweep behind them though, so I just have mine sweep the front porch instead - it doesn't matter if it's perfect or not), care for animals (food/water, toss a ball for Spot, empty the dryer, pick up toys, return shoes to the shoe basket/rack, wipe off the dinner table, put away silverware, straighten low cupboards, wipe baseboards and windowsills...

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