What chores do you give your kids?

Growing up, my siblings and I had loads of chores. Beyond the usual daily chores, my dad even assigned bigger project-based chores for us to do, especially in the summer time when we were home from school. He believed we should be kept busy working and helping around the house.  We were given chores like weeding the flowerbeds, watering the trees, washing the car, and sweeping the garage, etc. My dad also had a ‘do it right the first time or you’ll do it all over again policy’, so we didn’t dare put in half the effort. If we were given a chore, we knew we had to do it well. As a child, of course I found this incredibly annoying, but looking back on it, I think it instilled good work ethic and an appreciation for the work/play balance. While we found it really tedious to pull weeds in the vegetable garden on a hot summer’s day, we enjoyed the feeling of being finished and getting to go for a swim in our grandparents’ pool after the chores were done.

Another thing about chores is that it gives your kids a sense of responsibility.  For example, it’s Marlow’s job to empty the dishwasher every morning.  She is so proud of the fact that this is her task and she is ‘the best’ at it.

Not only do I think it’s important for kids to have chores, I also think it’s the secret to having a big family and keeping a tidy house. Everyone helps out. Many hands make light work. 

I was chatting to a friend the other day about the chores we have in our house. I told her about how our kids have to wash out their own lunch boxes when they get home from school every day. She reminded me that the lunch boxes could just go in the dishwasher. ‘I know,’ I replied, ‘but I like that they have a chore they have to do when they get home from school, and I like that I don’t have to worry about how their lunch boxes get cleaned!’ While I am generally a pretty relaxed parent in the sense that my kids are often playing on their own without my constant supervision, I suppose I am a strict parent when it comes to chores, rules and manners. I get it from my parents. : )

Here are some of the normal daily chores we have in our family. (I’m so curious to hear what chores you give to your kids!)

• Make beds every morning
• Wash and dry lunch boxes after school every day
• Empty the dishwasher every morning (Marlow’s job)
• Take out the rubbish and recycling bins when they’re full
• Help me hang the laundry on the drying line
• Put folded laundry away into closets
• Set the table (this is usually Ivy’s chore)
• Clear plates from the table after every meal
• Wash dishes/load the dishwasher after dinner (this is usually the boys’ chore)

Please share your thoughts. Do you give your kids chores? From how early on? And any good chores I’m forgetting about? ; )

Courtney x

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