I’ve recently had an interesting conversation with some parents and despite our different cultural background and our different parenting styles, most of us agreed on the fact that children need to do some chores. Some parents realized that they would ask less involvement from their sons than their daughters and this was the topic of another discussion I then wrote a post about (Why dads need to wash dishes and mums need to fix the plug… ). We all tried to make a list of the chores we would consider appropriate for several age groups. Interestingly, the flandersfamily sat up a very similar list already:
I may add some chores my children do regularly like making their beds, tidying up, loading the dishwasher, setting the table etc.. Some of the chores in this chart are not necessarily daily tasks. I would ask my children to do them occasionally and some of them would figure under “special” tasks – which, in our family are “rewarded” either with some extra pocket money or an extra activity in the weekend.
Which chores do you ask your children to do on a regular basis?
Do you ask your sons and daughters to do the same chores?
Are chores for children an issue in your multicultural (extended) family?
Categories: Culture/Traditions, Parenting
Expat Since Birth – A Life spent "abroad" 
My 16 years old is asked regularly to do : washing windows, bringing rubbish out, mop floors. He does routinely his bed without asking. In his case I am reluctant to ask him to do anything with valuable breakable items and electricity (he has a certain bad record there) and by no means I would give him a hedge strimmer or similar implements. However I agree that normally all the chores on the list could be given to a 16 year old. After all at his age people are allowed to work…
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Welcome to my site, Laura! Children want to help in the household from a very early stage on. When they get older this may change for some, but once you got the habit that some things are normal routine, it’s not even necessary to remind them. The hedge trimmer can have different sizes. My children (age 8 and 11) manage the small ones (not electric ones!!) quite well and always wear gloves anyway; and they don’t use them without supervision. I’m still in charge of the big trimmer which is also quite heavy. – You’re right, people are allowed to work at age 16, and some do much more chores than those listed here.
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Heres an app that just blows your mind! the future of chores is here!!! woohoo!!! Hope this helps ladies! 🙂
http://www.confessionsoftiredmoms.com/featured/chores-for-kids
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Thank you very much, Eva, for the link! That’s great!
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Kids who do chores learn a great deal of unimpressive but very useful skills. I’ve noticed they take pleasure in putting things in the right place and pride in being responsible for their own belongings. Plus it keeps us mums sane!
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Yes, I observed the same. Parents who don’t allow their children to do some chores miss out a very important moment: the one where their kids can show them what they’re capable of and willing to do for themselves and the family. Of course, it will take a bit longer to do a chore and it won’t be perfect, but those are the moments we as parents can ‘watch and learn’ from our children in do many ways. – Thanks a lot for your comment! 🙂
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