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Nine Chores Your Child Should Do
Without Being Paid
by Karen Fusco
Back in the day, getting paid for doing chores was absolutely unheard
of. Chores were a way for children to contribute to the family and
parents would reward their children financially if and when they wanted
to. Nowadays it's the opposite. Kids expect an allowance and many
parents are all too ready to pay a child for chores they should be doing
anyway. You don't charge your child for cooking his dinner, do you? Then
they shouldn't be charging you for clearing off the table!
If you haven't yet integrated mandatory chores as a routine element in
your child's personal development, it's time to start. Here are some
age-appropriate chores that most children should be required to do – and
do for free.
Five to Seven Years Old: Clear the Table – Separate Laundry – Clean Your
Room. I've heard many people say that a five or six-year-old child is
too young to have household responsibilities. While it's true that I
wouldn't make a five-year-old mop the floor or dust the furniture, he or
she can help clear dishes off the table, separate the laundry into darks
and lights and pick up their own room each and every night before bed.
Eight to Ten Years Old: Wipe Down Bathrooms – Vacuum Carpets. Between
the ages of eight and ten, your child should start taking on chores of a
more significant nature. An eight-year-old can learn how to vacuum and a
ten-year-old should be able to wipe down the bathroom mirrors and
counters on a weekly basis.
Ten to Twelve Years Old: Help With Yard Work – Take Out the Trash.
Chores don't have to revolve around inside work. A ten to
twelve-year-old can work on the outside of the house too. Picking up
branches, raking leaves and shoveling snow are great ways for children
to help take some pressure off their parents. They can also help by
taking the garbage out on garbage day and bringing the trash cans back
to the house after the garbage has been picked up.
Thirteen to Sixteen Years Old: Wash Floors – Help With Meals. Between
the ages of thirteen and sixteen, your children really should begin
learning skills they'll need when they're out on their own. By giving
them chores to do, you'll help them learn the things they don't teach in
schools. Cleaning the kitchen and washing floors seems simple, but they
need to be done properly. By having them perform this task at home,
they'll know how to do it when they move out on their own.
You can also have a child of this age help prepare the meals. Have your
daughter cut up a salad while you prepare the pasta or have your son
prepare the corn on the cob while you grill the chicken.
While your children probably won't be overjoyed with the new
responsibilities they're being given, it's really for their own good.
Everyone is part of the family and each person should contribute in
age-appropriate ways. As the famous saying goes – "One day they'll thank
you for it."
About the author
Karen Fusco is co-founder of
www.silkbow.com
which supports Busy Moms with free gift ideas and helpful tips to meet
the challenges of motherhood. Silk Bow is the perfect place for the
perfect gift.
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