Halcyon Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 We have decided to have the boys help more around the house in the New Year, as I am getting overwhelmed. Here's what they do (they are 11 and 8): dishes after dinner-load dishwasher, wash pots and pans, not knives. (they alternate nightly). Kitchen must be spic and span--sink wiped down, water cleaned up, etc. wipe table, sweep dining room and kitchen after dinner (alternate) do own laundry weekly, fold and put away help dad on the property: watering plants every other day (two acres and lots of new plants, so this is a real chore). clean room every week (pick up daily), make bed daily, wipe down sink in bathroom daily help make dinner when needed put school books away, organize binder, file papers appropriately. Daily thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I wish I could get mine to do that much! Between the ideal and the actual... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 About the same amount ds10 does inside, but he helps with feeding the chickens and turkeys daily in addition to helping with yard work outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Sounds exactly like what mine do (12 and 9) except they don't help with yard work, but instead they help with the ones under 3. :) Is there more that you are wanting them to do? Could you offer them cash incentives to do over and above? I have 2 others who are old enough to do chores (feed pets, water indoor plants) so they are starting to take the burden off the older two. I have started a sort of job for hire system where I list jobs I want done (like bathtub scrubbed, making loaf of bread in the bread maker for next day's breakfast) and the price I am wiling to pay to have it done. The kids are all able to sign up for what they want but the job must be end well. Also, they can all opt out of signing up for these extra duties and I will continue to do them myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldilocks Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Sounds reasonable. I would expect that they would need a lot of help/training to clean up after dinner. Even my DH is not able to get it 100% clean. He just doesn't see what needs to be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Here's what my boys do (age 12 and 9): 12 yr old: Make breakfast (3x week) Clean out dishwasher Feed rats and wipe down cage Make lunch (3x week) Put his dishes in dishwasher and wash pots/pans used for breakfast and lunch Clean bathroom upstairs (1x week) Clean bathroom downstairs (it's a half bath 1x week) Vacuum (1 x week) Wipe kitchen counters every evening Set table for meals Laundry (1x weekly) 9 yr old: Clear table after meals Put dishes in dishwasher Feed/water cat and clean litter box Help brother with bathrooms Vacuum (1x week) Help brother with laundry Take out trash My 5 yr old has chores too but that doesn't compare to the older boys. Forgot that they also do the dinner dishes 1x week. Also when my 12 yr old turns 13 (very soon) he will cook dinner once a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 That is more than my 11yo and 8yo do, but we also have several very little ones, and so my big kids help with the littles more -- nothing specific, just whatever I need at the time, so that probably skews things a bit. If we had no littles, I would expect more household chores, but my 11yo can do everything for the 2yo that I can do (including bathing and putting him to bed) and most everything for the infant (except feed, and since I bathe him with me, she has never done that). My big two: -One feeds pets and puts away dishes, while the other empties trash cans and takes out trash/recycling/compost every day. -They put away their laundry; I wash it. 5yo collects laundry from around the house every day and takes it to the laundry room for me. -They clear their own dishes, and they put away groceries. -They help some with meal prep, nothing set, just as needed. -They tidy their school areas and rooms, and they make their beds, generally daily. -They feed the furnace in the middle of the day, and they help DH haul wood when needed. He has taught them a bit about yard care, but they aren't quite old enough to operate the tractor yet for mowing. -They help dress littles, make and pack lunches, fill water bottles, buckle littles, etc. when we go out, just whatever needs to be done. -They each clean a room or two (so does the 5yo) in the afternoon, just putting away stuff and vacuuming. -They (well, the 11yo; the 8yo can go along with the 11yo) can run into a store and buy crickets for the gecko, or a couple of grocery items, or stamps, or they can run in and pick up or drop off library books. (This is enormously helpful to me, so that I do not have to unbuckle everyone for a two-minute errand.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 good list, not too many at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Well I'll be honest and say that it sounds like a lot to me! You are wanting them to do even more on top of what's already on the list? I think what they do is plenty, and I'd probably even still be doing their laundry myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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