What Kind of Responsibilities Does Your 8 Year Old Have?

We have 4 kids, so none of them do "all" of this; but, each of them as an 8 yo may have been responsible for any of the following:
1. Clear/wipe table
2. Help unload/load dishwasher
3. Help with laundry (switch a load to dryer, start a load of towels, fold things/put away)
4. Dust
5. Wipe down sink/mirror/toilet in bathroom
6. Sweep porch
7. Care for pets
8. Help cook a meal
9. Straighten a room or game closet
10.Wipe baseboards or cabinets

We usually have our kids do their rooms, but then also have them do 2-3 daily chores and 1 larger weekly chore. It only takes them a few minutes, but helps me a ton.

Hope this helps!

My step-daughter was keeping her room clean, doing laundry, setting the table, helping with cooking (nothing with knives), sweeping, vacuuming and mopping all at the age of 8 or 9.
J.

We have two girls, 9 & 10, that - for an allowance - clean their room (they share 1 room), keep their bathroom tidy, sort laundry (they love stuffing the washer), fold and put away their own clothes (not much love here), set the table, empty clean dishwasher and occasionally run the vaccuum. They fight over the chance to use the swiffer duster, and I once thought I was punishing them by making them clean up their mess off the kitchen floor with a couple rags on hands-and-knees, but the little Cinderellas kept going and THEN asked when they could do it again. We offer extra incentives for picking up sticks around the yard and pulling weeds in the garden, but those are typically short-lived. My youngest walks 1 of our dogs around the neighborhood and occasionally feeds him (she's angling for a chihuahua, but its not happening).
Anything other than that you can adapt to your own home, lifestyle and needs. Sorting recycles, magazines, newspapers, etc. Pulling items off shelves to dust if they're not breakable. Sweeping back porch. Or even helping wash the car in the S.. I hope this helps :]

Hey S.! I have two 4-yr olds, and they both have chores. My daughter feeds and waters the dogs, and lets them out for their potty breaks, and my son clears off the supper table and empties the clean dishwasher. Plus they have to keep their rooms clean.

I don't give allowance for doing these things - they are required of someone who lives in our home, that you must contribute to keeping your home clean and presentable. But I do have a chart that they can earn money for helping with chores outside of their normal chores. It's posted on the fridge and they know what they can earn if they do each one. (Like there's a picture of a child doing a particular chore and that = 2 quarters or whatever). Harder chores or those requiring more time earn more money. My son is saving up for a Scooby Doo Mystery Van, and my daughter is just saving for whatever comes along. It has really helped cut down on the "gimmies" in the store too if I tell them to save up for whatever it is if they really want it! Good luck!

S.,

When my oldest child starts slacking off I remind myself that by age eight, most Amish girls can pretty much run a household. Here's what we require of our 9-yo boy:

1. Clean his room
2. Fold all of his laundry plus the large towels
3. Care for the cats and his hissing cockroaches
4. Watch the younger children
5. Wash dishes (not the knives because he is terribly unreliable with them)
6. Clean out the fridge
7. Gather firewood and eggs
8. Empty trash
9. Run the Shark
10. Clean off the stove
11. Wash the windows and sliding glass doors
12. Clean his area of the van
13. Carry in groceries and help put them away

This next growing season he's going to be outside with his dad and I helping with the gardening and yard upkeep. He's not big enough to drive the riding lawnmower so I'm thinking about getting a pushmower for his to use. Basically, if I think he can handle a task with minimal supervision, I give it to him. There are two other children below him that I'm going to let him train to do some of the jobs then I'll give him even more responsibility.

K.

My youngest stepdaughter is now 9 and a half, but we started with some chores around 8. Most of it is stuff involving her. She has a chart on the fridge and there are about 6 things she's suppose to do each day they include
-making her bed
-putting her dishes in the sink after she eats and wiping her spot at the table
-after bath time, picking up around the shower (toys, dirty clothes in hamper)
-making a sweep of the house before bed to make sure her toys, shoes, clothes,etc that have strayed through out the house find their way back to her room.

For us, at this age, it was more about her being responsible for herself and her belongings. As she's getting older, we'll ask her to help with other things (clearing/setting the table, putting away her laundry, etc)

My daughter is 6 and her responsabilitys are cleaning her room, help with dishes, helps pick up after her younger siblings both 1 yr old, sets the table, clear the table, empty trash cans in the house, helps clean up after her siblings eat, in their we also added everyday things like brush teeth, bath, help with laundry mostly her own. she dosn't really do the full job we might do agian after she goes to bed but she is learning that we need to take care of our suroundings. But she has had chores since she was in kindergarten so she is use to helping around the house, she does homework and lots of play time to no television.