ProudGrandma Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I have never had a problem with knowing what type of chore to assign my children at their various ages, my problem has always been trying to figure out WHEN during the course of the day to have them do their chores. I know that certain chores MUST be done at a certain time (feeding the dog etc) but what about those types of chores that have no time constraints...vacuuming, dusting, etc. WHEN do you have your kids do them and HOW do you make sure they get accomplished? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicAnn Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Dd folds the dishtowels and napkins when we pull the load off the line. This usually happens in the afternoon, before snack. She needs to pick up her toys before she can move onto another one, and before bed. She dusts the entertainment center before our Bible study on Wednesdays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 No set time. At convenient times (mainly for me) throughout the day/week, I will ask various kids to help out with various things as needed. When they are done, they are to let me know, and then I can assign the next thing or release them if I don't need anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingnlearning Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 A large part of my kids' chores are feeding animals or milking the cow so there is a narrow time window that those need to be done. Usually around 8 am and pm so not difficult. They clean their rooms on Mondays which is allowance day. The other chores are completely at random, I guess whenever *I* feel like having them done. lol They do their laundry on their own time, when they need it. I don't remind on chores as a rule-if they don't get something done they lose technology privileges for a day or two. They were relying on me too much to do all their thinking and scheduling for them and it was driving me batty so we changed it. They are entirely responsible for getting everything done. They're 11 and nearly 14. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Usually when I tell them that DH is on his way home.:D Their daily chores involve putting away laundry and general tidying/sweeping the walk/setting the dinner table, so it doesn't really take very long each day. If they clean up all of their toys and art materials too early they tend to have to do a second round of cleaning, so I usually just remind them to get everything done when I start supper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmamainva Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Usually in the afternoons, between school ending and dinner preparation beginning. I had tried early morning chores, but .. that didn't go very well. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Right after breakfast our dc do chores. They get 20 minutes and that's it. I make sure some of their chores are such that they have to work together as a team (ie: one dc vacuums tile and another washes it). We used to wait until afternoon to do chores but that didn't work as everyone finished their schoolwork at different times, kids would be napping so vacuuming couldn't be done, etc. It also feels good to just get chores out of the way first thing in the morning and have it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 We have a morning chore time. Wake-breakfast-self-care (teeth, dress, make beds)--chores. After-dinner chores, clear and help with dishes, take place (guess when? ;) ) after dinner. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 When the boys were small, we'd do a couple of hours on Saturday am after cartoons. It was a total family effort--Dad, too. He'd put on The Beatles and we'd have at it--The boys would bring their laundry to the kitchen (where the washer was), change their beds (with help, as they had bunk beds), sweep the floors and pick up. I'd usually vacuum, DH did the dishes and wiped the kitchen well, and sometimes we'd do other vacuuming. Someone usually cleaned the bathroom, too--me, mostly. This was when they were between 6 and 10, pretty much. As we moved and got a bigger house, I stayed home more and did more chores (or...didn't do them :D) and we just assigned something every day. Ds21 counted it as part of his "payment" for being homeschooled! lol The boys did the dishes every night, took care of their own laundry on their own time, fed the dog (or someone would--not assigned--whomever got the "soulful" look...), and took care of their rooms. On any given day, ds would take out the trash around the house, scoop the cat box, sweep (all wood floors here), or clean his bathroom. I like to give chores as a break during the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Generally proceeding a meal or activity time. Gives 'em extra motivation. For example: You get breakfast after your room is picked up, bed made, laundry is brought down, and you are dressed for the day. Breakfast is at x. Or: how fast can you pick up the floor and do your bathroom chore? I'd like to go to the pool before Daddy gets home. You can bet rooms are picked up in just a few minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 My kids have chore charts that are broken down by part of the day. Morning, after lunch, after school, and after dinner. The lesser chores are during morning, and evening. Larger chores are scheduled after school. They each only have two larger chores during the week. The rest are reserved for Saturday mornings. I also made sure to keep a couple of them for myself so as not to overload the kids...they work hard at their school work all week and although I value the idea of teaching them to work, I also want to make sure they have enough down time just to be kids. It's a balancing act I've been working on for years but I think we finally nailed it. None of us are over worked now and my house is clean. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 We have deadlines here. Morning chores must be done by the start of school. Daily chores must be done by 5pm, and evening chores must be done by 8:30pm. I find it works better for us this way. The house stays neater throughout the day because it's being worked on little by little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 We have deadlines here. Morning chores must be done by the start of school. Daily chores must be done by 5pm, and evening chores must be done by 8:30pm. I find it works better for us this way. The house stays neater throughout the day because it's being worked on little by little. Yes. Little by little seems to be the key here too. If I gave a larger chore in the morning, they would take too long (getting in the way of school starting) or hurry (because of school starting). This just wasn't working for us. Because the larger chores are reserved for afternoon or Saturdays, they can take their time and do it well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 During the school year- right after school. During the summer-after grooming and breakfast. We try to live consistently by the "work first, then play" approach to life. The exception is our once a week laundry day in which everyone helps until it's all done (usually in the early afternoon.) Start a load, work on school, when the dryer buzzer goes off after each load everyone drops everything and helps put it away immediately and then gets right back to school as Mom starts the next load. Life is too short to iron or fold. It's all hung up right away or put in the undies drawer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paintedlady Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Mine do their chores right after breakfast. If it's a school day and they haven't finished before I'm ready to start, they can finish at lunch break or after their school work is done. Chores have to be done before they're allowed to go out no matter what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 When we were full time homeschooling, generally before school. Then on Saturday mornings we would do a general houseclean, vacuuming etc Nowadays...I have to ask them randomly when they happen to be home and available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 We start our day with read alouds then we do our chores for the day. We do a secondary cleaning/straightening up in the half hour prior to supper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Most of the chores they do in the morning (feed the animals, clean the bathroom, etc.) but for the other chores, like vacuuming, they do them whenever I feel like doing them--there is no set time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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