What age should children start having chores?

My youngest grandchild is 18 months old and picks up her own toys to put in her toy box. We started teaching her shortly after she learned to walk. I would stand behind her and take her hand repeating "pick up your toy." I would then make her bend down and we would pick the toy up together. Then, as I led her to the toy box I would say, "Put it away." After we dropped it into the box, I would say "Good job." And then we would clap our hands. She didn't learn right away, it took repetition and patience. But she did learn and can now follow simple directions. She tries to sweep and mop, basically just pushes the broom and mop through the house. If the dishwasher is open she will put dishes in it. I've even caught her taking dishes from the lower cupboards and putting them into the dishwasher. All of my grandkids from the 18 month old to the 9 year old have daily chores. I believe if you teach them young, they will be neat and clean all their lives. And they don't expect Mom and Dad to wait on them.

My two oldest children have been picking up their own toys since they were about two years old. I always helped them at first but by the time they were three they picked the toys up themselves. On a few occasions they have refused. I didn't get my youngest child till he was almost three years old.To this day he still hates having to clean up his toys. He is almost six. Try making a game out of picking up the toys. Ask her to race you to see who can pick up the most toys. Sometimes I would play a color game. I would ask for a certain color the children would try to be the first to find all of that color toy. If you make it fun she just might learn to like to do it.

I think picking up her toys at that age is very appropriate myself. I had trouble with this with my son also. He was forever bringing his toys out into the living room and then leaving them there. So what I did is I got a basket and everytime he was done with a toy he would put it away in the basket and then at the end of the day we would take the basket into the toyroom and put the toys away. I have no clue why he felt this was easier than just taking the toy down to the toyroom when he was done but he did. As for other chores I started with easy ones like the toys or when I would empty the dishwasher I would have him put the spoons away or bring his dirty clothes out to the washer. I hope this will give you some ideas.

I think it is a male thing. My husband will pick something up right after I have told my daughter to do it. You know, if I see her sweater on the floor I tell her to come pick it up and next thing I know my husband is doing it. Hello? My daughter is 10! A neighbour of mine is a computer techie. When I got my new computer a couple of weeks ago I was having some problems and asked him to help me out. He had to bring his three year old son with him. The boy immediately found a game and started playing with it. When his father said it was time to go, the child immediately picked up all the pieces and put them back in the box. I was stunned. I smiled broadly and thanked him and told him what a good boy he was. I got a glowing smile in return. It drives me nuts that my kids don't pick up after themselves. I am forever finding granola bar wrappers and half empty cups of juice sitting around the house. A sock here, a sweatshirt there. The neatest room in the house is my room and that is because I don't "dump" stuff to begin with - though hubby always drops his clothes to the floor when he takes them off. He looks after them when he gets up in the morning. I think it is terribly important to start early. I am having a heck of a time training a 10 year old, 14 year old and 43 year old! When my husband grew up he had three sister and the women did the inside work and the guys did the outside work. My husband doesn't even make the bed, neither do either of my daughters. I have been nagging them all for fifteen years! I think the chores your daughter should be doing at the very least is looking after her own things - her bed, her bedroom and, yes, her toys. Daddy's gotta stop spoiling his little girl. ;-)

I started teaching my son to pick up his toys after playing with them since his first birthday and although now I still have to remind him to pick up his toys I don't get tired of reminding him. Whenever he spills his drink I will give him a kitchen rag for him to wipe the spilled liquid, he likes to help sweep the floor but the broom is too big for him. Your daughter sounds very responsible for her age, well except for the picking up her toys, it's the right age for her to start doing chores just make sure to give her a reward after. Maybe you could create a reward chart where you'll put a star or sticker on the chore she made, for example if she picked up her toys for the whole week you'll take her out for ice cream.

I think you should get your children to help out as young as you can, it can be fun...play it as a game to make them interested. If they especially take interest in getting involved that's great, the sooner the better i think.

They start teaching kids at age 1 in daycares about cleaning up and then when they hit 2 they are usually cleaning up their centers/play areas. I use to work in a daycare center. We had a clean up song that we used. Now, my daughter is 4 and she has to clean her own room, like putting all her toys back on the shelfs and stuff. She knows how and has been knowing how to clean her room since age 2. But sometimes I have problems with getting her to clean up, so I have to take things away from her. If she doesn't clean her room, I take away a favorite toy or her V.Smile. She will aventually clean her room. Another thing my daughter has to do besides clean her room, is put her own clothes away. I wash and dry everything for her, but she has to put her socks and panties and other stuff away in her own drawers. She even knows how to put things on hangers now. I make it fun at times, like when I'm doing my laundry, I ask her to come tag along with me and she picks her own clothes out of the pile and she folds away. Sometimes she doesn't fold everything all nice, but she does put them up. She is learning. We been doing things like this since she was 2, but started making it her chores around 3. So it is a chore she has to do or she will lose something until she does clean her room or put her clothes up. As for dishes, the only thing I really have her do is put her dishes in the sink or sometimes she does put them in the dishwasher. She has asked me a few times about wanting to load the dishwasher up herself, but I don't want her messing with knifes and things right now. But she does help out. She also helps with keeping the living room cleaned up. I always vacuum the living room and then does the hallways, but that is just because she likes to vacuum. Sometimes she does the whole place. So it's all up to you on how much you want your child to do. I don't think 3 is to young. I think 3 is perfect. I think a 3 year old should have a chore with cleaning the room up and putting clothes away, but I'm sure with the clothes part, she will need help at first. :)

I think that it is good that she offers to help out but as far as making her put her toys away maybe if you were with her and helped her to do this she would be more apt to do it herself, like you start and ask her if she would like to help..I think 3 is a little young to start making them do it on there own and doing it every single day it is a good habit tho to get them into, but man let the babies be babies , I think kids are being made to grow up to fast soon she won't need your help with all these chores and you will be wishing she would.

Hi, perhaps you can explain to your husband that children when they are 3 or 4 years old they are already figuring out the environment around them. So it's important for parents to guide them in what impact their actions can have on the place they live. I feel this is the best time to teach and guide as the child's character is taking shape. We might put this off to when they're older but at that time they'll be preoccupied with newer fantasies they discovered in life.

i have a grandaughter who is 3 and she to loves to follow mommy around tohelp with chores, and she also dosnt want to pick up her toys.my daughter-in-law helps her to pick them up and tries to teach her that to go on and do something else she has to pick up what she got out.It dosnt always work she is after all only 3 but she is leaning what she has to do even if it is a little at a time. i think the age depends on the chores i think three is to young for daily chores but i would encourage her to help mommy.

At the age of 3 my daughter was picking up her toys and learning how to make her bed. She also had to pick up any trash she left laying around from her drawing pictures and her safety scissors.

I think it all has to do with the mentality of the child. If they have the mental compacity to handle the chore than yes they can do it. My daughter who is 3 (will be 4 in Dec.) is very smart for her age and can do a lot of chores that a 5 or 6 year old can do. But my 4 year old son can't. He is too hyper and can't stay calm enough to do a lot of the chores. So to make it fair I stick to chores they can both handle even though my daughter could handle more. Thier chores include: Cleaning up thier toys, putting thier clean clothes away in thier dresser, and setting the table. But if your daughter is able and willing to vaccum, help with the laundry and rinse the dishes than I say let her. Cause most likely if you wait too many more years she may lose interest.

I think parents should teach their children to start cleaning by means of their toys at the age of about 3, so they can understand fully that they should clean what they play. At age of you can teach him, start with his toys.

I think you are right. The sooner you start the better. kids need to learn responsibility. My daughter is 8 now and when she was little i cleaned up after her and now she still expects me to do it, She loves making a mess but hates to clean it up. If I could back in time i would have started teaching her how to clean up after herself when she was young.

I'd started my child to do simple tasks at the age of two. Now, she's four and she'd help me with tidying the house, put the dirty laundry in the washing machine, help fold the clean laundry, vacuum the house a little, and many others. I am just teaching her some of these stuffs to prepare her to be a more responsible person when she grows older. If we don't start them young, I believe, they would take things for granted and expect us to do all this for them when they are older... So I think it is ok to start them young... we are not torturing them or what... we are just teaching them the basics.....

Does she watch "Big Comfy Couch"? If so, then you can encourage her to do a '10 second tidy'. It'd be handy if you can get the music from the show to play for her. Otherwise, make it a game. Ask her how fast she can do it. Or you could bribe her. lol. Tell her she'll get a cup of juice and a snack if she picks up her toys. There's nothing wrong with the reward system. And last, if none of that works, then go in there with her and ask her to help YOU pick up her toys. She seems to be at the age where she loves to help with grown up things, and if she thinks that she's assisting you like a big girl, she might be more willing.

I have a 4 and a 5 year old, and believe me, they both have chores. My husband yelled at me at first, but by golly, they know how to pick up after themselves and do little bits around the house. It's my 4 year old DD's job to take the clothes out of the dryer and put them on the couch, and then to fold the washcloths. My 5 year old get to get the clothes from around the house and bring them to the washroom. She also puts up silverware, and feeds the cat. I honestly believe that they feel more a part of the household in sharing in the work. It's not much, but they'll know how to clean up after themselves and create good work habits. I hope..lol

Its better if one teaches his/her children lil chores at a young age. and yeah for that instance about picking up toys at her playroom is a good thing and it is not that hard. But at the same time.. make her feel that its fun to do the chores.. and she is doing it because she loves it.. and not because she is obliged to do.

Well my 2 year old does little things now like helping put the clothes away or the toys back in the toybox. Its fun for her. I call her mommies big helper. My older ones started around 5, like cleaning their rooms and picking up their own clothes. My oldest started at 9 with cleaning the kitchen after dinner, at least clearing the table and loading the dishwasher. I think the earlier they learn the more responsible they will be later. Just dont over work them. Pick chores that are easy and quick for them.

I remember when I was growing up I was doing some pretty heavy chores for a 2-3 year old, but some I really liked doing. I guess if she has an interest in at least one or a few things(that also includes their belongings) it should be encouraged.