How many chores should a child have

Let’s Help! Try These Chore Ideas For Kids Of All Ages

Parenting

Updated: July 2, 2021

Originally Published: March 12, 2021

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Have you given any thought to chores for kids? Though not as hotly debated as disciplining a child, assigning chores and handing out allowances are two areas that drum up quite the debate. And how you handle these things can even create a lot of conflict between co-parents. We’re not saying you need to have a firm answer before you have kids — but it’s definitely something you might need to spend some time discussing. It may not be one of the most exciting things motherhood requires of you, but it is a fantastic way to teach your little one about things like hard work and the value of money (if you’re letting them earn some cold hard cash for their efforts).

Why? Some parents don’t believe in giving their kids chores. They argue that a kid’s job is to go to school, learn, and have fun. Other parents insist that giving your kids chores gives them a sense of purpose. Many believe assigning chores helps better prepare children for adulthood or, at the very least, instills a sense of respect for the people they might pay to do those same jobs. These are all decent and well-thought-out arguments.

But if you’re here, it’s probably for advice on making chores work for your family. You’ve already decided to give it a go. Where do you start, though? Fortunately, it’s not as overwhelming as you might think — and we’re here to help you figure it all out.

Implementing Chores for Kids

If you’re of the mindset that you want to give out chore assignments, know that it’s best to start early. If you suddenly spring the concept of chores on your 10-year-old, it’s going to be a struggle. If, however, you work chores into your two-year-old’s routine and keep adding on each year, they’ll grow accustomed to the expectation.

You may be thinking, “Wait. You give your two-year-old chores?” Well, yeah, why not? Granted, a two-year-old can’t do the same thing a twelve-year-old sibling can do, but they’re still capable of helping. And believe it or not, giving them tasks to accomplish (even those that don’t sound fun to you) helps boost your babe’s confidence. Your two-year-old can take an all-purpose wipe to the front of cabinets while you cook. They can also put their toys away each night (with some guidance, of course).

A few ways to introduce chores to your children is by making it a natural part of your family’s routine. In the same way, there’s a time to watch television or eat, create a space in the day for chores. And avoid using chores as punishment. You don’t want to make children feel negatively about taking care of their home, so use a different approach. It also helps to make chores fun and turn them into a game or challenge. This will incentivize the activity and make them want to do them.

Chores for Kids to Do

Toddlers can’t run vacuums. Toddlers can, however, help Mama pick up the floor before she vacuums. Even if you don’t subscribe to the Montessori method of learning and parenting, there are still some great takeaways — starting with the idea that your kids can do hard things. Yes, your child might be a piss-poor job of wiping your cabinet faces at 24-months-old. But, by 30 months and 36 months, they’ll do a much better job. Will they struggle? Sure. As long as it doesn’t escalate into a tantrum every time, it’s OK to let them work through their feelings. That’s how they learn to problem-solve. Besides, when it comes to chores, the struggle is real even into adulthood. Are we right, or are we right? Kids, just like us grown-ups, deserve a little grace.

How many chores should a child have a day?

Chores teach children responsibility, but it’s important not to overwork them. There’s no specific number of chores children should have, but if your kid’s a preteen or younger, give them tasks that take about 10 to 30 minutes altogether. Especially when they have school during the week, you don’t want to eat up all of their time. You can add a few more chores on the weekend or during the summer. Try to keep the time they spend on chores a week to no more than four hours.

Chores for Kids By Age

Keep in mind that just because your kids “age into” new chores doesn’t mean you have to stop expecting them to do some of their earlier chores. Moreover, as kids grow older, their chores are grouped by larger age brackets. Your 15-year-old can’t assist in taking your youngest daughter to ballet. Your 17-year-old has a license and can. As you look through the list, you’ll need to find chores that are just right for your kiddo’s abilities. If they’re a little harder than what they’re used to, it’s OK to help them at first. Mamas and Dadas are a child’s first teachers, after all.

Chores for Two-Year-Olds to Three-Year-Olds

• Wipe cabinet faces
• Wipe down tables/counters
• Wipe baseboards
• Put away toys
• Put their clothes in the hamper
• Fill dog/cat bowls

Chores for Four-Year-Olds to Five-Year-Olds

• Dustmop small areas with a Swiffer or dry mop
• Match socks
• Put dishes in the sink
• Make the bed
• Put away clean utensils and plastics
• Wash plastics
• Pull weeds
• Sort laundry whites/colors
• Set and clear the table with adult or older sibling supervision
• Carry in the mail
• Help bring in groceries from the car
• Pick up their toys
• Brush their teeth with an adult or older sibling present
• Brush or fix their hair for school
• Get dressed by themselves
• Empty small garbage cans
• Wash their hands
• Make simple snacks for themselves
• Put their dirty clothes in the hamper

Chores for Six-Year-Olds to Seven-Year-Olds

• Use a small handheld vacuum for crumbs
• Dust (a sock on the hand works great)
• Clean reachable windows/mirrors
• Clear the table
• Strip sheets from the bed
• Broom
• Vacuum
• Rake the yard
• Clean their bedrooms
• Load/empty dishwasher with minimal supervision
• Switch laundry from washer to dryer
• Get their own snacks and help with making lunches
• Put away clean clothes
• Take trash out
• Carry in groceries (and put away)

Chores for 10-Year-Olds to 14-Year-Olds

• Do dishes independently
• Wash the car
• Help make meals
• Clean bathrooms or kitchen with minimal supervision
• Do their own laundry

Chores for Kids Aged 15 and Up

• Run errands for parents
• Assist in sibling chauffeuring
• Babysit
• Take the dog for a walk
• Mow the lawn
• Make meals without supervision
• Help with household/sibling laundry

Chores for Kids to Earn Money

It’s never too early for kids to learn the value of a dollar, and chores are a great way to get started. However, you don’t want to pay your child for simple chores like cleaning their room or taking out the trash. The assignments below are seasonal and serious enough for kids to earn a few bucks and learn some responsibility.

• Do extra chores around the house
• Shovel snow
• Clean the garage
• Rake leaves
• Babysit younger siblings
• Help other siblings with their chores
• Wash the car
• Mow the lawn

This article was originally published on March 12, 2021

Age-Appropriate Chores for Children: Chore Ideas and Allowances

Have a family plan for everyday household tasks and you’ll teach your kids a great life lesson.

Written by Annie Stuart

Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on March 17, 2022

Doing chores is a tradition in many families. Chores help kids learn responsibility, and sharing chores gives you help around the house.

Not sure your kids will go for it? Take heart! There are ways to make chores a little bit, well, less of a chore for everyone.

The Value of Chores for Children

Parenting expert Jim Fay, co-founder of the Love and Logic website, says we all need to feel needed and to know that we're making a contribution -- even kids. "But they can't feel that way if they don't have chores and make contributions to the family," Fay says.

Roger W. McIntire, University of Maryland psychology professor and author of Raising Good Kids in Tough Times, says, "A child has to have some responsibilities."

That may all sound fine, but how do you get your kids onboard?

Pitfalls to Avoid When it Comes to Chores

Don't insist on perfection. No one is perfect, and it's better to have a more relaxed approach to how well your kids do their chores. Otherwise, McIntire says, you might have a struggle on your hands. Or you might jump in and do it for them, which would undermine the whole point.

Don't delay. You might think your child is too young. But your kids may be more capable than you think. Kids can do a lot of chores at an early stage, McIntire says. For example, getting clothes to the laundry or cleaning up after dinner. "We hold back too long because we think they ought to be ready first. But that puts the cart before the horse," he says. That is, they'll learn by doing.

Don't be stingy with praise. Get that praise going right away! Don't wait until the chore is done. Praise and encourage the child while the chore is in progress. You want to build positive momentum, especially with young kids.

Don't be inconsistent. Elizabeth Pantley, author of parenting books including Kid Cooperation: How to Stop Yelling, Nagging, and Pleading and Get Kids to Cooperate, says if your kids aren't expected to regularly follow through, they might start putting chores off in the hope that someone else will do them for them.

Make a Chores Chart

"Create a list of every job it takes to keep a family going," Fay says. Have kids pick out the chores they'd most like to do. Then create a chart.

First, check that everyone has an age-appropriate chore. Then divide the chart into three columns. One is for the list of chores and whose chore it is; another is for deadlines; the last one is for making a check mark when the chore is done. Put the chart where everyone can see it and let everyone follow through on their own assignments.

You might actually find it easiest to have two charts: one for daily household chores and one for weekly household chores.

Here are two more tips:

• Be specific with instructions. Pantley says, "'Clean your room' is vague and can be interpreted in any number of ways. Instead, be explicit by saying, 'Put your clothes in the closet, books on the shelf, dishes in the kitchen, and toys in the toy box.'"
• Ease into chores for children. First, show them how to do the chore step by step. Next, let your child help you do it. Then have your child do the chore as you supervise. Once your child has it mastered, they are ready to go solo.
• Go easy with reminders and deadlines. You want the chore to get done without you micromanaging it. Pantley recommends the "when/then" technique. For example, say, "When the pets are fed, then you may have your dinner."

Allowance for Chores?

Should your child get an allowance for chores? Usually not, say most parenting experts.

Chores are partly about responsibility and partly about learning household tasks. They're not focused on earning money. Yes, kids need to learn how to handle money, but not by doing chores they're supposed to do anyway.

It's especially important to not tie allowances to chores for younger kids, Pantley says. That's because a younger child may be less motivated by money and simply choose to not do them.

There's an exception: For older kids who already know how to be responsible, money can become a nice motivator for doing extra chores above and beyond their usual tasks.

Fay suggests letting them bid on those extra chores and picking the lowest bid.

Age-Appropriate Chores for Children

Your child may be able to do more than you think. "Keep in mind that a child who has mastered a complicated computer game can easily run the dishwasher," Pantley says.

In general, she says, preschoolers can handle one or two simple one-step or two-step jobs. Older children can manage more. Here are her pointers on kids' chores by age:

Chores for children ages 2 to 3

• Put toys away
• Fill pet's food dish
• Put clothes in hamper
• Wipe up spills
• Dust
• Pile books and magazines

Chores for children ages 4 to 5

Any of the above chores, plus:

• Make their bed
• Empty wastebaskets
• Bring in mail or newspaper
• Clear table
• Pull weeds, if you have a garden
• Use hand-held vacuum to pick up crumbs
• Water flowers
• Unload utensils from dishwasher
• Wash plastic dishes at sink
• Fix bowl of cereal

Chores for children ages 6 to 7

Any of the above chores, plus:

• Sort laundry
• Sweep floors
• Set and clear table
• Help make and pack lunch
• Weed and rake leaves
• Keep bedroom tidy

Chores for children ages 8 to 9

Any of the above chores, plus:

• Load dishwasher
• Put away groceries
• Vacuum
• Help make dinner
• Make own snacks
• Wash table after meals
• Put away own laundry
• Sew buttons
• Make own breakfast
• Peel vegetables
• Cook simple foods, such as toast
• Mop floor
• Take pet for a walk

Chores for children ages 10 and older.

Any of the above chores, plus:

• Unload dishwasher
• Fold laundry
• Clean bathroom
• Wash windows
• Wash car
• Cook simple meal with supervision
• Iron clothes
• Do laundry
• Baby-sit younger siblings (with adult in the home)
• Clean kitchen
• Change their bed sheets

Experts told what toys a child needs and how many they should have

Modern parents try to develop their child from an early age, surrounding him with bright and interesting toys. About how many toys a child actually needs in order for his psyche to form harmoniously, and what happens when there are more or less of them, was told in an interview with a MIR 24 correspondent by a senior district pediatrician of Medicina JSC (clinic of Academician Roitberg) , Ph.D. Ekaterina Morozova .

“Many parents believe that a large number of toys will help the child develop faster, form the necessary necessary skills. In fact, this is a rather complex psychological issue,” the expert says.

Children's perception is arranged in such a way that in order to maintain attention, no more than five objects should be in the child's field of vision at the same time. The more toys around the child, the more his attention is scattered. He is unable to concentrate and quickly gets tired of them.

Parents try to please the child, buy a lot of different toys. At first the child rejoices, but this joy is short-lived. Sometimes he rejoices at a new acquisition for no longer than one day, then his attention switches to something else. The child gets bored.

American scientists from the University of Toledo, Ohio, led by Professor Carly Dvohom argue that a large number of toys have a negative impact on the development and psychological state of the child.

The researchers studied the behavior of 36 children: first they were placed in a room with 4 toys, and then with 16. It turned out that when the children had only four toys, they were cheerful, inventive and resourceful. And in a room with 16 toys, the children quickly became bored, their mood deteriorated, and they began to cry. Scientists explain this behavior by the fact that young children cannot cope with a high concentration of attention.

According to the doctor, the number of toys affects such a quality as ingenuity.

« Curiosity and resourcefulness develop in children when they need to invent and create toys on their own. Too many toys also weaken children's cravings for other activities. When there are not enough toys, and the child has already played enough with them, he begins to be interested in reading, writing, art, that is, he is looking for other things to do for himself, ”explains Ekaterina Morozova.

When there are too many toys, he will spend whole days only with them, and he will be bored with books, music, drawing and other types of creativity.

The development of such an important skill as perseverance also depends on the number of toys around. When a child comes across a complex toy (puzzle, constructor, prefabricated model, logic game), he will patiently and persistently deal with it. When there are a lot of simpler toys around that you don’t need to think about, he will quickly give up trying to deal with complex ones on his own and start playing something simpler. This will lead to the fact that the child will never learn to complete complex cases.

According to psychologists, the number of toys affects the character of the child. Children who get everything on demand begin to believe that this will always be the case, and grow up selfish.

The number of toys also affects the formation of a child's concept of eternal values. Children who are spoiled by parents with a huge number of toys most often grow up confident that any desires and pleasures can be bought for money, it is difficult for them to build relationships with other people.

In addition, children who have a lot of toys stop appreciating each of them individually, because they know that if another doll or car breaks down or gets lost, then parents will immediately buy a new one to replace it. Such children do not take care of their toys, and they carry such an attitude towards their own things through their whole lives. First it's a toy car, then an expensive smartphone, then a real car, and so on.

When a child receives a lot of toys, it becomes very difficult for adults to surprise him with something, it is difficult for them to give gifts for the holidays. And it ceases to be some special event. Subsequently, such a child is more likely to grow up to everything as an indifferent, bored person who will be difficult to surprise or delight with something.

Psychologists say that the fewer toys a child has, the more interesting it is to communicate with other children.

“Children's psyche will be comfortable if a child under the age of 7 is surrounded by 5 toys in constant use. At the same time, if your child already has a larger number of toys (and this is almost certainly the case), then I advise you to remove some of them. Just hide it from the eyes of the child, and after a month make a replacement, ”the doctor says.

If your child has a lot of toys, use this simple advice from psychologists: pay attention to the toys that the child is playing with right now. Leave them in the field of view of the baby, and hide the rest. From time to time, seeing that the child is losing interest in those toys that he plays, remove the annoying ones and offer others.

So the toys will constantly replace each other and the child will not get bored, he will simply forget about them and will perceive them as new.

What kind of toys does a child need?

• Educational. For children older than two years, toys are important, aimed at the development of various higher mental functions. Attention is developed by all kinds of pyramids and constructors, memory - by mosaics, perception - by role-playing games. But, besides this, large motor skills (constructors, puzzles) are very important.
• Sports. Please don't forget balls, jump ropes, skis and other sports equipment.
• Sleepy. The toy with which the child sleeps. Get a cute and cuddly stuffed toy (though boys sometimes sleep even with cars) and be sure to endow it with magical properties for a good night's sleep.

Have building blocks and role-playing toys. They are good at launching creative processes in the child’s head. When choosing toys for children, give preference to those that you can color yourself or come up with several options for them. In this sense, constructors (even those from which instructions are lost) are very welcome. As well as dolls with soft toys, because every day you can play new role-playing games with them.

The draft law on limiting the removal of children from the family: how it will work

In early July, a package of amendments was submitted to the State Duma, which are designed to limit the extrajudicial procedure for the removal of children from the family. The proposed norms are aimed at ensuring constitutional provisions on the protection of the family, creating conditions for the decent upbringing of children in the family. Now the relevant Committee on State Building and Legislation is working on the bill, it is expected to be considered in the autumn session.

The editors of the official website of the State Duma and social networks receive numerous questions with a request to clarify the provisions of the bill. Together with the press service of the relevant committee, we answer the most frequent of them.

Threat child - what does this mean and who will determine its presence?

The bill was developed to protect the family, creating conditions for a decent upbringing of children in the family. The new norms are directed to limit the extrajudicial procedure for the removal of children from the family.

It is proposed to refer the question of selection child (in the event of a direct threat to his life or health) from the competence guardianship and guardianship authorities within the competence of the court.

Regarding the grounds for filing an application with the court for the removal of a child, the following should be noted. The conditions in which there is a child, must testify to a clear threat to his life and health. That is, about the real possibility the onset of negative consequences in the form of death, causing serious harm to his physical or mental health due to the behavior of the parents (one of them) or other persons in whose care the child is. Speech, in particular, is about the lack of care for a child that meets his physiological needs in accordance with age and health status. For example, high the degree of physical exhaustion of the child and failure to provide him with long time of water, food, lack of care for an infant, or leaving him alone for a long time, unattended. real degree danger to the child should be determined in each specific case, taking into account age, state of health, as well as other circumstances of his residence.

see also

• It will be more difficult to select children from a family out of court

  07/10/2020

• Viacheslav Volodin: our task is to ensure the well-being of children and create conditions for their worthy upbringing in the family

  07/10/2020

According to the bill the guardianship and guardianship agency or the internal affairs agency that received a message that the child is in a dangerous situation must immediately check these circumstances. And, if, in their opinion, such a danger really exists, then hand over everything necessary evidence to the court. The court in a session with the participation of the prosecutor, parents of the child, the child himself (if possible for him to take part), as well as, if necessary, other interested persons (relatives, psychologists etc.) resolves the issue of the possibility or impossibility of further finding child in this place. This is where individual approach and assessment of the totality of all the circumstances of a particular difficult situation.

Note that now the issue of removing a child from a family falls within the competence of the authorities guardianship. The reason for this is often the lack of necessary or the presence of overdue food in the refrigerator, lack of toys in the child, lack of a separate room, the loud crying of a baby, leaving a minor with grandparents, the presence of bruises on the child’s body, etc. There are many examples of when low-income families applied for financial assistance to state and municipal authorities, which attracted the attention of guardianship and guardianship authorities, and became victims of the application of Article 77 of the Family Code, which allows them authorities to immediately remove the child from the family. The decision is made by them on one's own. And relatives can then challenge the actions of guardianship authorities in court.

Who and on what grounds will it decide that there is a risk of the death of the child within a few hours?

Recall that the grounds part of the norms of the draft law is devoted to the judicial procedure for the removal of a child. Based of these norms, the idea is to save the child. Measures for immediate extrajudicial removal are of an emergency nature. Their application possible only in exceptional cases, without delay.

If the death of a child may occur within a few hours, the body of guardianship and guardianship with the participation of the prosecutor and the internal affairs body may selection. That is, the procedure will be collegial - in addition to the guardianship authority, there will be both the prosecutor and the representative of the internal affairs body should be present.

Currently issues of immediate removal of the child are resolved individually by the guardianship authority. At the same time, the prosecutor is only notified of the selection. He is not present on the spot and cannot directly assess the situation in which the child is. Unfortunately, with such a procedure, it happens that the removal of a child is not subject to grounds for a real threat to his life or health, or moreover, are with unwillingness to provide social support to large families, families, those in need of better living conditions or who find themselves in a difficult life situations.

Risk death within a few hours - how much? If there is a risk of death within a few days - from malnutrition, for example - this falls under "few hours"?

Bill a prompt assessment of the situation that has developed in each specific family. Here, an individual approach and the study of the totality are important. all circumstances of this or that difficult situation. For example, serious physical exhaustion of a young child for a long time being unattended. Of course, the mere fact of the absence of food in the refrigerator cannot be such a circumstance; it must be assessed in conjunction with other facts.

As parents to have time to prepare for the trial if it is held within 24 hours? How to manage to find a suitable lawyer during this time?

First of all, you need to understand that we are talking about about the life of a child. The degree of social danger of the situation is high. Therefore, it is proposed such deadlines.

Application for removal of a child considered at court session with mandatory participation of a representative of the guardianship and guardianship body, the prosecutor, parents, other interested parties (psychologist, teacher, etc.) and the child himself.

At the same time, the court will decide not on the restriction of parental rights and all the ensuing consequences, but only the question of fact - whether a child in the current situation can safely stay at home. Deprivation or restriction of parental rights is another issue that will considered in a separate process. Special attention is paid to this.

Parents have the right to hire a lawyer. In this they help can be provided. It should be noted that, according to the current procedure, the presence of a lawyer is not supposed in principle - immediate removal occurs without a court order at all.

For example, reduced terms procedural actions are also provided for in the criminal process - in relation to a suspect detained in the presence of obvious traces committing a crime.

Why closed court?

Proceedings in a closed court session should ensure the inviolability of the private life of citizens. For example, now, according to the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation, cases related to the adoption (adoption) of a child are always considered in closed processes.

If the meeting were public, then in the hall they could presence of unauthorized persons, i.e. the public or the media. And this can be negative affect the state of the child, especially if his psyche was already traumatized by a dangerous situation. In addition, this may lead to disclosure of information about private life.

How Can the court's decision be challenged?

Solutions can be appealed in a general manner - that is, in an appeal, cassation, and in the order supervision. So, for example, in accordance with Art. 320.1 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation, a decision of a district court may be appealed on appeal to the Supreme Court of the Republic, a regional court, a court federal cities, autonomous region court, autonomous district court. A complaint filed within a month from the date of the decision by the court of first instance.

Because the trial will be held with the participation of the prosecutor, he will also be able to challenge a court decision if it considers that the interests of the child are not observed. In this way, there are more options for protection in accordance with the bill, not less.

Is it true that the bill will make it possible to urgently remove children from families for any reasons?

No, on the contrary, the bill provides for essential limitation of possible abuses on the part of the guardianship and guardianship authorities in matters of removing children from the family, which, unfortunately, are not uncommon at present. All evidence must be presented and examined in court and substantiation that there really is a immediate threat to the child's life or health.

Now decisions on withdrawal are made by guardianship and guardianship authorities independently, at their discretion, without regard to the opinion parents, prosecutor, internal affairs body, psychologist, other interested persons.

If to look into domestic history, in the family legislation of the USSR (Fundamentals legislation of the USSR and the union republics on marriage and family of 1968, Marriage and Family Code of the RSFSR 1969) was the judicial procedure for the removal of children was established, regardless of the deprivation parental rights - in case the child was in danger. And in exceptional cases - in case of a direct threat to the life and health of the child - the body of guardianship and guardianship could independently decide on the immediate taking the child away, only by notifying the prosecutor, and subsequently applying to the court for deprivation of parental rights within a week.

Similar it is proposed to consolidate the procedure now, but further limiting the discretion guardianship. It is indicated that the immediate removal of the child by the guardianship authorities may produced only with the participation of prosecutor and internal affairs body - if there are grounds to believe that death the baby can come within a few hours. That is, when delay may lead to the inevitable death of the child.