Just need some brainstorming here. I have recently started giving my almost 4 year old boy jobs. He sets the table, clears the table, and uses a small vacuum to clean the floors. What jobs do you all give your kid? I would like to add to the list.
My son is 3 and he already has chores. He enjoys helping mommy and he feels good about it. We reward him and he works even harder. My son is asked to take care of his laundry. I give him his socks and underwear to put away, he puts his dirty clothes in the laundry baskets and cleans his place after dinner.
my boys enjoyed having an old sock and dusting for me. They learned 2 sort silverware after running the dishwasher. My boys now have daily chores!!
I'm like Kathy, i have 4 kids 8, 7, 7, and 5, they make thier own beds, put their own things away, clear their places at the table, put thier clothes in the hamper that sort of thing. for the big stuff like dusting and sweeping their rooms they do it if i ask them to but they go to school and i'm home so it isn't something they do all the time. the rest of the house as well i don't feel is so much thier responsibility their toy room obviously they keep picked up and they help me go through stuff as needed for major cleanings but as long as they are taking care of thier little part i'm very happy. and at this point i rarely have to remind them let alone get on thier case about things, ther have been times i've had to fight them not to clean up first because we were running late for something, lol.
He can start keeping his room tidy(picking up toys) and making his bed (pulling his blankets up to his pillow). If you have a pet you can have him in charge of feeding it. He could put the safe silverware away after it's been washed.
My son is 4 also, he is autistic but he still wants to help out. He feeds the dog and gives him water everyday. When doing the laundry he stands on a stool and I let him pour the soap in, then I hand him the clothes and he throws them in, he then throws the lint from dryer away. I have even had him help me empty the dryer. He gets soo excited when he feels he has helped me. We always make a big deal about what a helper he is, then he wants to do it all the time.
We call it everyone doing their share. No one has chores per say, but everyone has to help out each other. So we all clear our own spots from the table, he helps take out the garbage and cut the grass (rides the tractor/steers at 5 with adult) and has to keep his room cleaned along with putting any toys anywhere else in the house clean. He is a clean freak though---so he dust, mops, sweeps and vaccums all on his own on a regular basis. (With the swifter and a vaccum cleaner) He is responsible for keeping pee off the floor and toliet seat in his bathroom also. There's no it has to be done now or this is required before you get to play--we make them fun, cleaning and helping around the house is merely part of life. It's fun and easy and something he WANTS to do not has to do. :) But it's his personality--He likes things very neat, tity and in their place.
when each of my kids were 4 or so, I had them start putting their clothes in their drawers after I folded them, washing off the table after supper (I just had to re-wash it), putting dirty clothes in laundry basket after taking them off, helping put the groceries away (cans were stored on the bottom cabinets)
lots of good ideas on here. whatever the chore is i would make sure to teach him why he's cleaning. how it's nice to keep things clean and fresh, and take good care of your belongings (whatever your values are). so it's not so much a "chore" but just a part of life
Here are my chores, split up between my 4 and 5 year old.
Feed fish
Clean up shoe area
Wipe off bathroom counter (cuz they always get water everywhere)
Make bed
Pick up toys in......each has their own areas that they do
I have a chore chart, and everyday they complete their chores they put up a sticker for that day. On Saturday, if they've done chores all week, they get $1 allowance.
S.: Hello to you, and kids are wonderful, but you know, they need chores. Chores are so essential for proper development in children. They are precious, but if we don't give them simple things to do, they don't know what to do when there isn't a developed schedule of "things to do." Children rely on this for proper growth - it's essential. I have 6 beautiful children, and they've literally helped to rebuild our house. I was at once in disagreement with that, but you know what, I've seen them grow up and I've seen how the teachers are praising us for the "good job!" Know what I mean? I'm ocnstantly praise for the disposition of these children and am truly thankful for that because they are strong and they stand up for what they believe, and you know what.......they will know what to do when they get on their own and something breaks in the house. They won't be just oblivious and dependent.
Have a blessed day,
M.
