Does yuor toddler help with the housework?
By moonchild1au
@moonchild1au (6237)
Australia
November 1, 2009 6:08am CST
My daughter is 2 1/2 & has been helping with the housework for at least 6 months...I vacuum everyday & if I don't let her vacuum, I don't hear the end of it. In the house we just moved from, we had a dish washer & she used to help unpack it every morning. The only thing she's not good at is packing up her own toys but I know most kids have this "problem"
What does your toddler help you with?
4 people like this
21 responses
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@lovelyn_medrano (3070)
• Philippines
1 Nov 09
Oh that is good! She does things even if she wasn't told. What a nice girl! She has her own initiatives. You are a lucky mother.
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@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
1 Nov 09
My daughter is exactly the same unless it's picking up her own toys lol - must be something to do with the age or just kids in general
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@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
2 Nov 09
My toddler doesn't help with much around the house yet. He's still kinda in baby mode. It is cute though when he picks something up and puts it in the trash. I guess you could call it helping out.
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
I would say that's helping out...how old is he? my daughter didn't really start helping until she was abpout 20 months old & now she's 2 1/2.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
2 Nov 09
He's 2 and a few months. I'm sure he'll get the hang of it eventually, but it's right now I could use an extra hand. lol
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
Just be patient & he will get there...I still need to be psatient with my daughter
@SViswan (12051)
• India
25 Jan 10
My older son was a darling when he was a toddler and help me with EVERYTHING. He loved to sit with me while I cooked and cleaned and help wherever he could...and would clean his own room and put his things in place. My younger one, who is now 3 does things only when he feels like it. The moment he asked to do something, he refuses...especially packing up his own toys. He is absolutely no help...lol...and the help he does, he leaves halfway and goes off to do his own thing.
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
21 Mar 10
My daughter loves to help but she won't pick up her toys lol
@jaiho2009 (39141)
• Philippines
1 Nov 09
Hello friend,
I remember my kids when they are still toddlers,they want to try new things...and helping with houseworks is fun for them.
Keeping their toys/putting it back into places is one of the first thing i teach them to do.
I can still remember when my daughter try to help me wash clothes...she loves to play with the bubbles...![](/Content/images/emotes/happy.gif)
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@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
1 Nov 09
That's what I'm trying to teach my daughter - put her toys away but being 2 1/2, all I get is no unless I tell her I will put her toys in the trash lol...I have learned to try & make a game out of it & help her - how did you teach yours to put away toys?
@jaiho2009 (39141)
• Philippines
2 Nov 09
everytime my kids took any toys,i always say..."put it back where you get it before you take another one"...just showing her/him how to do it...it needs a little patient and took time,and,when she/he get used to it,it follows everytime they played with toys.
And,that helps a lot,now that they are grown ups...they knows hot to organize their things and belongings.
@lovelyn_medrano (3070)
• Philippines
1 Nov 09
Hello moonchild1au! I have a three year old son. Little by little I ask him to help me in doing simple household chores like getting his toys and putting it back to his basket bin,getting his clothes inside his cabinet before taking a bath and other simple things.. I think that is nice thing to do... It will serve as a training for them in following instructions and behaving rightly.
I believe also when you are working with your kids, let them participate on what your doing, that will also be a bonding time for both of you.
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
I totally agree coz when they go to day care & school, they have to clean up after themselves & learn to keep their desk tray tidy.
@lovelyn_medrano (3070)
• Philippines
2 Nov 09
Yes they must learn how to do things on their own gradually. Start from simple tasks that they will enjoy doing. And I guess it is easier to teach ages like that because they are curious and really wanting to learn and explore new things.
@ruchimom (280)
• Australia
16 Dec 09
Yes
My little girl who is 3 helps me with the household chores.May be because I had my second one when my older one was nearly two.So she is quite responsible.
She looks after her little brother whilst I do other chores in the house.She cleans the mess he makes,she does dusting and also help with his Nappy change etc
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
21 Mar 10
my daughter does too but like a typical child, she doesn't clean up her toys lol
@sweetgirl_k1 (3972)
• United States
2 Nov 09
My son is 3 and he likes to help with stuff too. He likes to hand me the clothes when I put them in the wash and then he likes for me to hand them to him for him to put in the dryer when they are finished washing. Then when they are finished drying he will take them out of the dryer for me and put them in a basket. He loves doing that. He also likes to help me unload the dishwasher. He likes to take a rag and wipe the table off when we finish eating (I always have to re-do it but I don't let him see me.) I let him do it and then when he's out of the room I go back over it. When I wash sheets he will take his own sheets off his bed. And I can give him a baby wipe and he will clean whatever he can with it. lol I love that he likes to help but I know it will change when he gets a little older.
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
We have to savour it while it lasts & before we have to start nagging them to do things lol
@cybermom45 (196)
• United States
3 Nov 09
I use to love when it was time to prepare dinner. It was "Our"(my dtr 2 1/0 y/o and I) special time.She was such a little lady and we were military living in Germany so I would pop an audio( this was back in the early 80's folks.tape in so Mom could at least hear how here Granddaughter was growing up. Stacy and I would discuss what I was cooking for dinner while she set the table. She questioned me about how many would be there for dinner, if we were having dessert,etc.. When she finished setting the table she always asked if there was anything else I needed here help with. Yes, That was "Our" special time. 26 yrs. later, I can't pay her to help me in the house. Two's are wonderful Whoever coined the phrase terrible two's was crazy. That was the best time with both of my kids. Teens and twenties are tormenting though.
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
3 Nov 09
I love this age too although it can be trying at times...I have also heard that 3 is the new 2 for tantrums so I guess I'll find out soon enough lol
@xannebull (1793)
• Philippines
2 Nov 09
MY kids help me fetch the bed before we sleep and after we sleep, they help arranged our pillows and blanket, i never let them do the task which requires holding fragile things at home since they are still small to do it, to avoid breakage.
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
That's completely understandable - I watch my daughter like a hawk when she puts dishes away coz she's only 2 1/2
@corrycrystal (1775)
• Malaysia
2 Nov 09
Hi, there!
I don't have a child of my own yet, but when I was staying over at my sister's place for a few nights, I noticed that every morning if my sis was vacuuming, her 5-year-old daughter would follow her everywhere and asked my sis to hand over the vacuum as she would love to do the task.
It is kind of sweet, but yes, when it comes to toys, they are everywhere and when we ask her to collect her things, she would try to avoid it.
I also realize that she loves to help my sis fold the laundry, but she still doesn't know how to do it properly.
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@vingyan06 (2486)
• Malaysia
2 Nov 09
Hi Moon,
You have a good little helper there,
! She started to help you in your house chores since she was 2! I am so impressed!
My 3 year old daughter will love to disturb me while I am doing house works. She likes to grab my broom and mop and offer to help me up! But she is too small to help me, she always give trouble more than help, LOL. So she makes me more busy! For vacuum, I done it every weekend by my part time maid. My daughter will scare of the loud vacuum sound! She will go far far away once the part time maid started to vacuum.
For her own toys, she just know how to mess it up, she doesn't like to keep her own toys at all. Unless I make an angry face, then only she will keep the toys.
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@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
I think most kids are like that with their toys - my daughter is lol
@KMaroon (266)
• India
2 Nov 09
Hi moonchild
My daughter do help me in the house work she is 5yrs old. She does all the small works I tell her to do. She used to help me when she was even one year old, she was so cute when she was helping me by doing small works like keeping the vessels in order. She packs all her toys but not always only she feels to do. I am satisfied with her work. Have a nice day.
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
she does more than my daughter but my daughter is only 2 1/2...hopefully she'll get better with age :)
@nra091501 (173)
• Philippines
2 Nov 09
i involve my kids in the housework. it makes them busy beside playing and make them responsible in the house. i don't want them to rely solely on me or the househelp. besides it silence them hehe!
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
It does teach them responsibility...how do you involve your kids? My daughter just tells me she wants to help or just does it.
@sylviamak (60)
• Singapore
2 Nov 09
My toddler learn to fold towels and cloths for the family at 3 years old. He learnt how to pack the toys when he was 2 years old. We set the ground rule in the family that whoever takes out the toy, he must put back before he can get another set of toy. The family rule works well for our family. It helps my children become more responsible inpacking up toys.
Sylvia
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
It's great to set ground rules...I am trying to teach my daughter the same things - how did you teach your toddler?
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
1 Nov 09
Hi there! My toddler (when she was one) put her clothes and jammies in the hamper, she threw away her trash, put her bowls or cups and silverware in the sink. She didn't really help with unloading the dishwasher or vacuuming, but I also had her help pick up her toys. She still does most of these things now. I expect it and as she gets bigger (she is five now) I will also expect her to do other things. She helps fold laundry and she can put away her own laundry. Eventually she'll be taking care of her own dishes and doing her laundry too. This is a good habit to teach your kids when they are little and to expect as they get older so they always do this instead of expecting YOU to do it for them or complaining when you ask them to take care of their things/pick up after themselves.
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
I totally agree - my daughter does the same things like put her diry clothes in the hamper & her dishes on the bench - I ask her to put it there as she always has left overs which I feed to the dogs at their meal time.
@Raven7317 (691)
• United States
1 Nov 09
Good Morning - Yes, my little guy 'helps' all the time! He's 4 now, but he started around 2 YO...
He loves to help switch the laundry - I pull out the wet washed clothes, shake 'em out and drop them down to him and he puts them in the dryer.
He likes to help vac - he calls it the 'purple thing' cuz it's one of those Dyson Machines - and it's purple! LOL
He like to help unload the clean dishwasher, esp the silverware. I take all the sharp knives out and then I let him put the forks/spoons/servers away.
He likes to help make the beds - but this very rarely works out - it usually turns into hiding and wrestling in the 'woobies'!!
I could say I'm very lucky - he's a very helpful kid and gets a kick out of doing "big boy" stuff!
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
1 Nov 09
I hope my daughter continues to help out...I did the dame thing you did when we were in the house that had the dishwasher...now I have to do them by hand in my new house & I think my daughter just washed the dishes in the sink now & put them in the rack - she just came & told me...there was no soap so i will have to do them again but she thinks she's helping so I told her she's a good girl.
She knows to keep out of my way when I'm making the beds though so she usually just comes in the room & talks to me.
@gossipzz (498)
• Canada
2 Nov 09
That is so cute. My daughter is about the same age. Yeah we play the clean up game. She like to help me clean, however the funny thing is 2 minutes after helping clean she is making a mess all over again. We are always cleaning in this house. Happy lotting.
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
That sounds alot like my daughter!! She will help me clean up her toys until she finds a toy she hasn't seen in a day or 2 & then she's off playing with that & leaves me to clean up the rest of her mess grrrr!! lol
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
That's not such a bad idea - i will just have to make sure the dogs are outside when she does it though otherwise she will tease the dogs with the duster & then I will have a duster no more lol.
@yan_blue8 (1437)
• Philippines
1 Nov 09
Hi there moonchild! Good to hear that your toddler is helping you. Just like your toddler, my baby of one year and nine months is also not good at picking up her toys. In fact, she is messing them around the house. lol!And i hate it at times. My little brother is the one I'm asking to clean for me.My baby is helping me in washing clothes. She loves water maybe, that's why! She is helping me also in turning on the tv but doesn't know how to yet, at least for now.
Goodluck to you!
yan
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
1 Nov 09
She will get there...my daughter was about 20 months old when she started to help...but when it comes to toys, I have learned to make a game out of it & help my daughter & she will help with the "game"
@paleorainy (630)
• Italy
1 Nov 09
Wow, at 2 1/2 she's already helping you, that's wonderful, your daughter is amazing! I don't have kids so I can't speak about it, but I really admire how you're bringing up your daughter, and I think she enjoys that too. Well done!
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
2 Nov 09
Thank you!! i am lucky she wants to help - sometimes if I don't let my daughter help, she throws a tantrum!
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