What chores do you insist your child / children should do daily?

I have a Miss I just turned 10, and she does chores, doesn't like to, gives me lots and lots of attitude, but she eventually does them. She is a true procastinator, always putting stuff off instead of just getting it done, her brother who is about to be 14 is the exact same way (they must have learned from each other). I'm not like this, but their father is. The chores they have to do on a daily basis is, clean up their rooms, bring down any dirty laundry to the laundry room, and put it in the right place, put their clean clothes away once their washed and dried, occasionally put clean dishes away in the cupboards, daily kitty attention (litter box, food, water, brushing), and after dinner they are to help clear the table, put stuff away and sweep and mop the floor. I have timed these, and on a good day (when they are cooperating) all these chores take an hour of time up, and i dont reward them for these, these are a part of being our family. They make a lot of messes that are left for me to clean up because they are gone from school everyday, and doing these chores helps me out considerably, so having a "happy mom" should be reward enough! On the weekends they may have one project to do, like garage cleaning, or spring cleaning, but that is only occasional or when absolutely are necessary, so they get a break, since I dont have them do every daily chore as I call it each day.

I have a 14 year old boy that takes out the trash, cleans his room and takes care of the cat and sometimes helps me wash the dishes. I also have an 18 year old girl who helps me wash the bathroom, cleans the whole house and washes dishes when she is not in college.

When I turned 12, that's when my mom really enforced chore duties. My sister, who is a year older than me, and I were taught how to do our own laundry from start to finish including throwing in a load of bath towels when need be. We were expected to load and unload the dishwasher at least once a week. And, on the weekends I had to vaccuum the house while my sister either mopped the kitchen floor or clean the bathroom. I think this is not only reasonable but a good lesson in responsibility. We never got an allowance so chores weren't done to recieve a reward, they were done to teach us the value of work and self suffiency. I think you're daughter is getting off easy lol.

I think your a good mother. Chores teach responsibility but you don't want to overload them, and I think you should reward them. We pay our daughter a set amount for each chore she does she has to take out trash, keep her room clean, and keep her stuff picked up in the rest of the house BUT if anyone else has to do her job then we deduct a set amount. it seems to work and this way she is not always asking for money as she gets a payday the same day as her dad and I get paid.

When my daughter was young doing chores was the only way she got pocket money. With each addional chore there was extra money and with each chore that was not completed then it went down for that week. I think it is a very important tool in teaching children that to get money you have to earn it.

I have a daughter who just turned 11, as well as a 4 year old and a 16 month old. I never thought I'd say it but things are different than when I was a kid!(I'm 32) My 11 year old helps a lot, but not without argument. She rarely vebally argues but is the master of the huff and eye roll. We expect her to make her bed, do dishes once a week, pick up after herself, and help with her brother and sister. I work two jobs and my hubby works 60-72 hours a week. We're trying to instill in her that family is a team that works together. She gets upset because we make her study 30 minutes a night and read a book 30 minutes a night. We don't give her an allowance, but we take her out to dinner once a month without the two little ones, buy her CD's now and then, but mostly we spend time together. I coach her soccer team. I'm trying to teach her that you have responsibilities in life and and there's rewards for being responsible. I'm kind of the 'cool" mom that all her friends talk to about stuff and we are very open with each other, even when she's telling me things I wish she didn't know about, or maybe that I don't want to hear. I have noticed though that I have an easier time getting her to do things than her dad does. Anyone else have this problem?

I don't think you are a terrible mother.When we were young ,we too were asked to do household chores and thats the way we learnt how to do them with our parents guiding us.Things that a child should learn to do may include making the bed,proper toilet habits,dusting,helping in tidying the cupboards,folding clothes etc.

thats cool...mine are all grown up but still have their respective chores at home i imposed on it since we dont have a helper right now...the 2 girls are for washing our clothes and the other one if its his day off is to clean our house..if hes at work im the one who clean the house..as for the dishes right after meal if our children are present theyre the one who washes dishes..

i was thought by my parents when i was 4yrs old doing household chores.i guess its not bad for mothers who are doing in such ways,coz for me that age of mine is a training age...You can easily train a child to do household chores as early as possible.I go along with my mom to the market for me to know what best vegetables and eggs to buy and how much will the store owner change the money if i will give him 100pesos. I was having fun with it. When i was 9years old,i go to the market alone coz i already know what to buy. My mom trusted me with the money,and i always see to it that i have budgetted the money so well for me to have my prize,to buy the food i want to eat when i get home,but its not just for me but for everybody.At the age of 10 I was able to cook rice and viand...I started with the steaming of some vegetables,then fried eggs,fish,etc...then i made soup,and the main dish for dinner.I love doing those things.. Then my mom taught me to wash my own panty and dress,and iron it...and clean my room,all those stuff was fun. Sometimes my mom would tell me,ok you do this then after that you can watch movie,and she would give me money after wards...Thats how exciting my life was...That was a good training...And i have used it when i was married..I will pass it on to my kids...I enjoyed it so much....thats not for you but for your kids future.

they must clean their rooms. my oldest goes to school and work so my younger son does cleans the kitchen and living room while my oldest is in charge of all trash. i do not pay them to do what is needed to take care of our home. noe if they did extra then i have no problem with giving them money!

I believe that a household runs smoother if everyone in it works as a team and this means that everyone has their roles around the house. I don't think 10 is too young to be doing the chores you have mentioned. My children are 16 and 12 and some of their chores are, wash dishes (we don't have a dishwasher), hang clothes on the line and bring them in (though this isn't all the time), some weeding in the yard, vacuuming occasionally, taking the rubbish out, setting the table, along with keeping their room tidy.

Chores are a part of working together as a family as a team, everyone should pull their share in making their place a pleasant one to live in, rewarding them with pocket money is a good idea because it boosts them mentally every now and then, you are right for insisting that Miss 10 soon to be a Miss 11 should do some chores =)

I definitely think it's wonderful that you are having your kids do chores. I fully believe that kids need to be instilled with a work ethic at an early age. I have a two year old who already cleans up his room and his toys in the living room, helps with unloading and sometimes loading the dishwasher, helps me sweep, helps with the laundry and helps with his baby sisters diapers etc etc. He would do more, but he's still a bit clumsy, so I figure I'll give the dog water for now ;) I believe if we don't start them out doing things like this like it's a natural part of the day, they will think of them as "chores". If you make it fun and interesting, they may not "Like" it, but it won't be this horrible twist my arm, I can't believe you're making me do this sort of thing. Also if they're started younger they have less time of developing "slave mom" syndrome. If you pick up after your kids for the first 5 years of their lives, they're going to fight tooth and nail about doing chores from then on, because they've had you as their slave doing all their work for the past 5 years.... ok I rambled a bit. Anyway, it's important to teach our kids things that they will use later in life, and housework definitely applies. I think some chores, like cleaning their rooms and such should just be done without pay because it's their responsibility, but other things it wouldn't be a bad idea to give them money for. I don't think simply giving them an allowance for nothing is ok, but certainly establishing a system for blank amount of money for *insert job here* if it is well done is appropriate. It will also teach them a bit about finances and such too, which is a plus plus situation.

I think you are being the best type of mother, one that teaches her children about responsibility, and I wish more parents would do the same! My kids are 7 and 10, and have had chores since they were able to accomplish them. They started helping me with household tasks, and took them over when they were able. They are responsible for feeding the pets, picking up their rooms (each and every night so it never gets out of control, 5 minutes a night is a lot easier than a 4 hour job and a huge fight!), taking care of their dirty laundry and putting away their clean. They also help with whatever is asked of them, setting the table, emptying the dishwasher, vacuuming. I usually don't have to ask, they have become very good at doing something when they see it needs to be done. If they have a dirty dish and the dishwasher is full of clean dishes, they will empty it. If they see the cat spilled a plant on the floor, they will clean it up. Today my daughter went around dusting "for fun". Start them with good habits young and it will help them become responsible adults! They get an allowance each month to help them budget and learn to make responsible decisions with money, I think it is important to learn that, also. And while I think linking that to doing chores teaches them that money does have to be earned, it's not generally just given to you, I also feel that everyone who lives in a house should chip in to keep it up.

well i have my 7 yr old pick up after himself after meals and tidy up his room when it gets chaotic! but nothing else, my friend has her 7 and 8 yr. old, fold their own laundry, put it away, take out the trash, make their own breakfast and lunch, even lunch for school and pick out their own clothes for school! that's way too much for me~!

I have a 11,boy 11,girl and a 13 girl. They all have chores, but I do not give any allowance. There room isnt considered a chore though we feel it is there responsibility, along with making sure there laundry is where I can wash it. The girls and boy do weekend dishes, they each choose what they want to do in there. The boy has to take out the trash, and the girls vac and dust. I don't think it's being a bad parent It teaches them to become more responsible, to be aware of the mess and pick it up.

I am raised by my parents with nothing to do except study and study only...but housechores...hmm....i didn't have any...maybe becoz we had helpers at home..but then, as i mature and the status of our living dropped, i realized that maybe, my parents were wrong in raising me as an individual with no knowledge at all with household chores..i discovered this when i worked far from home and need to manage all things on my own...the first time i was away, it was really very hard for me.....so that's why, i promised to myself, when i have my children in the future, i will raise them with responsibilities at home even if they are young....coz when your children are still young, you will be able to inculcate in them the responsibilities that they have to attend to, you will be teaching them to be responsible individuals....attending to their daily chores.....

Yes, I believe these things are part of being in a family, in fact one of the most significat role of us parents is to train our kids by giving them daily tasks as these will make them responsible individuals. I have four kids, 3 daugters, 12,8,7 and 2yrs old son. I have a house helper too yet I still give my 3 daughters their respective tasks. As for my eldest, she do their beddings in the morning and water the plants before they go to school. After school, I expect her to do her homeworks & projects and help her little sisters with their homework too. On weekends, she helps feeding the dogs as well as bathing them too. She also helps cleaning the house. At 12, my eldest knows how to cook rice and simple menus, salads & barbeque. She knows how to iron clothes, buy some groceries or pay bills when I'm not around. I dont give her money for doing these tasks but I do give her regular allowance and let her go to mall with friends occasionally. As for my 7 & 8 yrs old daughters, I expect them to shine their own shoes & keep the toys of their baby brother. On weekends they help clean the house too. At this early age, they know how to wash their rubber shoes and bags, wash the dishes but they just do these things on weekends. We are also holding monthly family meetings, discussing their tasks, grades, arguments, menus and we also set activites like going to beach, biking, playing badminton or jogging. I let my kids participate on our plans. This way, they will feel their part as a family as well as help them make wise decisions in the future.

You are not a bad mother at all!!! There is nothing wrong with giving your child things to do...and what you are giving your daughter is hardly heavy duty chores...I am a nanny and a mum. My son is still a baby however, my charge is 5 years old. Every morning he makes his bed, which there is no harm in getting them to do. And, when he is done with any meal, he has to take his plate and cup to the dishwasher, with emptying any left overs into the bin. He has to tidy up his toys when he is done playing with them...it is all a pain to get him to do it but it teaches them discipline without them even realizing it. He oesn't get pocket money for those things but he does get pocket money when he helps out with bigger things to do, like maybe when there is stuff in the garden that might need doing and he helps out. So, yes I fully agree with you on getting them to do their chores...if they don't it will only make them turn out lazy!!!

Well, I think you are teaching them responsibility. My kids are 3 and 5 and I ask that they carry their clean clothes to their rooms so I can put them up when I have a sec. I have them pick up their rooms and any messes they make. They carry their dishes etc to the sink/garbage. They actually like helping me. It's not hard labor or anything--it is good for them.