List your child's daily responsibilities

[Michelle My Bell]

I am thinking along the lines of Charlotte Mason's "List of Attainments" as a sort of basis for making this list. I have had a very busy college (me), homeschool (them) year and I need to regroup over the summer and get some good habits into place. I am looking to brainstorm a list for my kids, but I am open to making a list for other ages and posting it somewhere (my blog?) for others to use. Anyhow, here is a beginning example of what I am thinking. Get creative, it doesn't have to be inside the realm of normal. :)

 

8 year old (boy)

Make Bed

Get Dressed

Make simple breakfast (toast, cereal, sandwich) (Work on additional breakfasts)

Brush Teeth

Brush Hair

Feed Dog

 

 

 

 

[swellmomma]

my kids list of responsibilities, 

1. eat something

2. feed animals and smaller children

3. don't kill each other

4. don't break my house

5. do what you are told

6. go to sleep

lol

[BlueTaelon]

 

Subbing for ideas.

[Carrie12345]

1. Don't drive me to drink.

2. If you drive me to drink, you'd better make your own dinner.

 

Seriously though, we're not very formal. The older kids take turns washing dishes. They're expected to help clean up here and there as needed.  School work is priority 1. They usually feed the pets unless the pets start annoying me before the kids wake up.

 

Oh, the older kids do have to put away their own laundry.  "Away" is a subjective term, apparently.

[NicAnn]

This summer is a regrouping period for us too.

1. Appropriate, clean clothes every day (dd wore a lot of stained, weather inappropriate clothing this winter, mostly my fault)

2. Healthy breakfast, made by yourself as much as possible

3. Clean up room, spot clean hopefully

4. School work

5. Bible study

6. Independent reading

 

The whole family needs to develop some healthy habits again!

[regentrude]

school work is your #1 priority

brush your teeth

pick up after yourself (put dirty plate in dishwasher that you used, put dirty clothes in hamper, etc.)

pitch in and help when I ask (or when you see I need help)

 

I just don't operate in a way where it would make sense to require anything more specific than that.  And I live pretty simply, so there really isn't a ton of stuff to do every single day.

 

Pretty much this. We do not own a farm, so no long list of farm chores. I do not find that there are lots of household tasks that would make it worth having chore lists.

My kids' first priority is school work. They take care of their own hygiene; their rooms are up to them. They help out when I ask them. I work. There really is not much to do.

 

DS is responsible for his extracurriulars; scheduling, washing his martial arts uniform, taking care if his supplies.

 

[FaithManor]

All three boys take turns walking the dog.

 

Eldest - 17, gets the mail, feeds and waters his rabbit and the cat, once per week changes the cat litter, washes supper dishes every other day, does own laundry usually, sweeps floors when they need them (we have hardwood, so not vacuuming), in the summer he mows and we pay some for that job, once weekly cleans his rabbit cage.

 

Middle 15 - Takes out the kitchen trash daily, washes dishes with younger brother every other day, feeds and waters his guinea pig, lizard, and tree frog (changes their quarters about once every 2-3 months because they do not need it often), washes bathroom floor once per week, folds towels and puts them away

 

Youngest 13 - Takes out the bathroom trash daily, sweeps hallway floor every other day, helps with dishes every other day, washes kitchen floor once per week, is just beginning to learn about laundry

 

They fold and put away their own clothes.

 

 

During the winter, they take turns putting wood into our wood boiler, in the fall they do a lot of labor stacking 15 face cord of logs. They also help with yard work and snow shoveling.

 

They are generally helpful with whatever I ask them to do.

[Laura Corin]

My boys pack and unpack the dishwasher daily and tidy the kitchen.  They also lay the table.  One boy is in charge of emptying all the bins in the house once a week and taking the big bin out to the road.  The other boy sorts and distributes the clean clothes.

 

In winter, eldest brings in wood from the pile and youngest gathers and brings in kindling.  There are also periodic tasks: one whole weekend in summer mowing the field; another weekend in autumn splitting wood.

 

When they are not in school they do other chores (tidying and cleaning) as asked.

 

L

[KRG]

It's not everyday but for the 16 y.o.

his laundry
his bathroom
loads dishwasher/puts dishes up
take trash out
I ask him to dust or vacuum once every few weeks
help mow the lawn

3 y.o.

he likes to fold and put away napkins
sometimes he helps put his clothes away
hold the dust pan
I want him to be better about cleaning up legos after he plays...sigh... ;)

[foxbridgeacademy]

DS 12, unloads DW all but 1X per day(norm is 2-3X).  He also must help me clean up after dinner daily.  

DD 10 has to unload DW 1X per day (usually with my help) Occasionally has to clean bathroom and pick up Living Room (2-3X per week)

They both must remove clean laundry (their own only) from basket.  If they do not remove promptly I'm liable to bring it to their rooms.... and then freak out when I see the mess. So about 1X per week they have to do a very good clean-up on bedrooms.... We're pretty loose about it but then no one complains to much or fights me on it, it's become habit.

Oh yeah DS cares for the Dogs, DD does the cat, and I get the bird.

[Farrar]

brush teeth in the morning and evening

clear dishes

clear messes you made

read for an hour at bedtime

do schoolwork

practice piano

dress yourself

wash your hands repeatedly

wash your face at the end of the day

 

There are other responsibilities that aren't necessarily daily for each kid.  They have to take out the recycling and feed the cat, but they tend to alternate.  Put away their laundry, which is usually once a week.  Clean their rooms and the basement, tidy when I need help, etc.  We're pretty informal about cleaning up and they're pretty good about pitching in when asked.  I tend to ask most days for some additional help beyond clean your own mess, but not always.  It's not a set obligation.

[Slache]

See if you can the The Everyday Family Chore System from the library. Great chore lists. Great ideas.

[SKL]

Every day:

 

pick up after self (somewhat)

brush teeth

get dressed

be ready for school on time

do what's expected in school (b&m)

do homework, reading during aftercare

get ready for evening extracurriculars during aftercare

study for tests if needed

whatever additional "work" I give them (usually only book work on school nights)

 

Some days each week but not every day:

 

Sweep floors

Certain chores relating to their own sports/activities

Piano practice

Get their own breakfast/lunch/snack when they have a day off school

 

When asked:  unload dishwasher, take out garbage, get mail, help with laundry, help with cooking

[73349]

Age 6:

Help clear the table.

Run the dishwasher if it's full. He loves being allowed to do this.

Help load washer/load dryer/carry clean laundry to the right rooms.

Pay attention and cooperate during school.

Shower/dress/etc. He's good about getting laundry into the hamper.

 

Optional:

Feed the cat. (I let him if he wants; otherwise, I'm fine with doing it.)

Help dust. (He likes the feather duster, and we have the FlyLady's song.)

Help sweep. (He has his own broom.)

Yard work (picking up sticks, etc.). (He has work gloves.)

 

Needs work:

Make your bed.

If When you make a mess with your toys or books, pick up after yourself (preferably without being reminded).

Part of next year's curriculum will be folding some of his own laundry.

[bolt.]

6 and 9 year olds, daily:

 

Get up

Get own breakfast (by food groups: fruit, grain, protein)

Clear own dishes into dishwasher after breakfast

Do personal hygiene, get dressed

Gather things needed for their day

Check doors, windows, lights etc.

Be ready to go on time

Feed fish

Walk to/from bus stop

Eat, drink and use the washroom sufficiently while at school

Co-operate and behave at school

Unpack school backpacks, lunch boxes (in to dishwasher)

School reading or any homework, practice recorder (9yo)

Set table for supper

Keep any 'kid items' under control outside their own bedrooms, including outdoor items

Clear own dishes after supper

Keep bedrooms tidy

Prepare for bed, deal with day to day clothing/laundry

 

As needed:

Shower self (9yo)

Put away own clean laundry

Help load or unload the dishwasher

Assist with changing sheets

Assist with doing laundry (9yo)

Assist with cooking (9yo) or baking (both)

Assist with tasks like sweeping the floor, or washing tables/counters, or small amounts if vacuuming

Fully tidy various kids areas as they get out if control (ie bookshelves, project tables, etc)

Assist with light yard work

[elegantlion]

Ds is responsible for trash, dishes, and vacuuming the rugs. He also does his own laundry and feeds the pets. 

 

We mostly have hardwood floors and I sweep them. 

 

This summer and yard work should be fun. I have asthma and have to break up the mowing. Ds is having heat hives and can mow for about ten minutes before breaking out and having to stop. We can't afford to hire someone, so we'll take shifts. 

 

Thanks for bringing this up as I'll be working this summer and he'll have more duties. I guess I should discuss that with him soon.  :lol:

[Sisyphus]

Mine are 12 and 15. They can clean a house to my standards, alone. They can't cook very well but won't starve, lol. They can do laundry. Mow the lawn. They do these things on an as needed basis, when I need them too, we don't have "daily chores" per se, just pitch in when needed. I do laundry when I have time, they do laundry when they have time.

 

I need to teach them to grocery shop, and cook more past toaster bagels and eggs and ramen. But actually, should they find themselves in an apartment tomorrow alone, they can manage. Except for the earning money part, lol. They can grocery shop if it involves going to a market daily Nd buying food for a meal...not so much the American coupon clipping, weekly trip type.

[fraidycat]

Subbing. My kids need more responsibilities.

[kroe1]

DD13 is only kiddo left at home. No chores, but she does take her dog out when she rings the bells to go potty. She also helps me quite a bit as I am piddling around the house.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

As this point Lily does pretty much the same household tasks that dh and I do. We either work in the same room together while talking, divide up what needs to be done in various rooms, or if schedules deem it necessary one or two of us takes over the majority of the work for the amount of time needed. There have been times Lily is doing more work around the house than I am if I am down with illness or injury. During those times she is expected to do what needs to be done without being asked (repeatedly). (Doesn't always happen, of course. ;) )

 

She is getting much better about noticing something needs to be done and doing it. She seems to have undergone a developmental spurt in this area recently.