Chores

TealRose - posted on 04/17/2012

I am 57 and never paid money for chores. And then I never gave my children CHORES. I don't EXPECT my husband to do chores, I ASK him to help and I asked my children in the same way. It's a huge difference being asked to help rather than being 'made to do chores' ...

I think making a 'chore chart' is a hard thing for children. They should be helping not forced to do things that doesn't help them want to help because it's a good thing to do - it pushes them away.

As for them 'being part of the family therefore YOU will help' well exactly WHO made them part of the family? Certainly not them! Be respectful with your children, and ask for help ... and you will be surprised just how much you get if you explain as to WHY you need help !

BTW, what do you call 'talking back' ? As let's face it, you wouldn't think of punishing an adult who 'talked back' ie disagreed with you would you ?? At five, kids DO throw fits, because they still can't handle how to deal with their strong and growing emotions!

Crissy - posted on 07/24/2011

My 6 yr old has chores just like my other 5 children do. Mostly he "helps" the big boys with theirs (ie; take out the bagged trash to the can, bring the cans in after garbage day, feed/water the dogs,) he's also responsible for cleaning his room "to mom's standards" and making his bed. If there's a special thing he wants, he gets to "earn" it. With so many children in my home, we don't believe in "allowance" for the simple fact that as the kids get older, so does their "need" for money and we can't afford to be paying everyone...my kids all earn privileges (ie; a day off, sleep-overs, camping in the tent out back etc) I'm a firm believer that it is EVERYONE's chore to keep the house tidy...not just mom's. Granted, I DO "bribe" my kids for good grades...:)

Keri - posted on 07/24/2011

She should be able to clean her room and put the toys away in her play area. You don't really want a kid working with household cleaners, but you could giver he a damp, soapy rag and tell her to scrub whatever she thinks is dirty. Get her one of those kid-size broom/dust pan combos they sell at practically EVERY toy store. She could help load dishes or laundry - I often rinse the dishes as I put them in the dishwasher, so instead of putting them directly in, I have my son put them in, then he squirts in the soap/closes the soap container & dishwasher door and starts the dishwasher. Lately, he's wanted to help with laundry. We have a top load washer and front load dryer, so I take the clothes out of the washer, hand them to him and he puts them into the dryer. The marble thing is good and has many incarnations (tokens, Bingo chips, etc.). My son goes to gymnastics classes and the kids get tokens and once they have so many they can get something from the 'store'. If they're good and listen and perform the tasks, they get all the tokens they can earn during that lesson, but if they misbehave the instructor takes one token away.

Breanne - posted on 08/21/2009

I don't think that taking away money from her that she has earned for the chores that she has done is right when she misbehaves. Just because she worked hard and would be proud of what she has done and you don't want to ruin that by taking away the money because she might be able to figure out, "Well why should i do the chores because i'm just going to have that money taken away anyways when i'm bad." You wnat to make doing chores a positive experience for her not a negative one. Maybe just stick with being consisent with what you have been doing with her bad behaviour so things don't get so mixed up. Keep it simple, not complicated. But money for her chores is a great idea! You might want to think about maybe having her SAVE up the money for something special later on, help her start to learn how to save, how much to be spening on something and all that stuff that comes with learning how to deal with money. It's better to start young! Hope this helps you!

Amanda - posted on 08/21/2009

I actually saw something similar to the marble thing on Nanny 911. I think it's a great idea, although a dollar is a lot of money. If you do a dollar, then I would suggest letting her take maybe half of her earned money and putting it into a savings account, which at most banks can be opened for just $10. My children all have chores, and really it's up to you on deciding what your daughter can handle. My eldest child, 6, keeps his room tidy, helps switch laundry around, load the dishwasher, and takes turns with the vaccum cleaner with his sister. My daughter, 4, helps me fold clothes, tidy her room, and vaccums. My youngest, 2, dusts the coffee and end tables, gathers the dirty laundry, and feeds the dog (with help of course). They all pick up their toys at the end of the day, and it really helps me out when they participate with chores. We also have a large garden, and they have their garden chores each week as well. Like I said, you know what stuff your daughter is capable of. Good luck!

Kelly - posted on 08/20/2009

We started our almost 6 year old with a chart about 2 years ago. It was simple with pictures and includes getting dressed, putting dirty clothes away, brushing teeth, etc. - things that need to be done every day. There was one for the morning and one for the evening. We have now started with a "chore chart" with magnets. It has spaces for 7 chores for each day = 49 total magnets for the week. The chores are a combination of chores and attitudes and consist of listening, setting the table, clearing the table, helping Mom, feeding the cat, no whining, and completing the morning and evening lists. She gets a magnet for each chore and at the end of the week she gets a penny for each magnet for a possible total of $.49. We give her the opportunity to earn "extra" magnets for things she does "off the chart" like picking up her baby sister's toys. At the end of the week, if all spaces are filled, she gets the money and gets to pick a restaurant of her choice (Chuck E. Cheese, any restaurant that has a playground) in addition to the money. We've been doing this for a couple of months, and she has yet to fill in all 49 spaces. It's a work in progress, but she gets excited to put the magnets on. Once school starts, we might have to reevaluate how this works.

Lakisha - posted on 08/18/2009

My daughter is 5 and she has chores and loves them. She cleans her room and folding her own clothes. She even helps me with the dishes( so she thinks).

Jackie - posted on 08/18/2009

We have a chore chart for my 5 and 7 year old and it works great. The chores we have listed are making bed, cleaning room, folding washcloths (towels are still too big), sweeping floor, clearing table, setting table, hanging up clothes, etc..
We put on some chores they regularly do and some they should do but often forgot. They got to approve the list. We made columns for the days and they get to put a sticker in each for each chore they do. (each sticker is worth a quarter)
At the end of the week we add up all of their stickers and give them the money. They then get to decide what they want to do with the money.
My daughters have picked out some toys, gone to the movies (with the family), and gotten ice cream.
They love this system and we now have them rushing to be the first to do chores so they can put their sticker on the chart.
Just a suggestion - we have a seperate rule sheet for unacceptable behavior and consequences so it doesn't affect the chore chart at all (I thought they might lose interest in it otherwise if they felt they weren't being rewarded).
(An example of the rule chart we have is if they hit someone they loose their favorite stuffed animal at night)

Delta - posted on 08/17/2009

We started towards the end of last school year paying her for chores she has done. We pay her 50 cents for one chore and she has up to 8 chores she has to do (but some of them she doesnt have to do everyday). We have her help with dog poop pick up, help with recycling, help with dishes, taking out trash, clean family room, feed animals, sweep the floors, and right now she helps keep her pool clean. We will pay her at the end of the week for what she has done.

Ilene - posted on 08/17/2009

My five year old son is responsible for making his bed (with some help), putting his clothes in the hamper, setting the dinner table, putting his dishes in the sink, keeping his room clean, keeping the bathroom clean, and not arguing with us. He gets a sticker for each of these nightly. After a week or two, if he is doing really well, we buy him a toy.

Jessica - posted on 08/17/2009

Chore Charts are a good idea to promote cleanliness and organization, with that said, I feel for a 5 year old the chores shouldnt be too involved. Cleaning up ones room is a great chore, as long as its not a disaster site. (in that case, you and your DD should work on the room together. DS and I race to see who can clean which side of the room faster -yes, everything MUST go in its place- and the past couple times he has won fair and square) Other chores could be to put the spoons in the spoon area of silverware drawer, putting a fresh garbage bag into the bin when that gets changed -the practice of proper handwashing will come to play with this one...BONUS!!-, folding socks, help put away the groceries.
Whatever way you want to reward her is up to you. What may help is to have a secondary chart that is for behaviour. At the end of the day, when she is sleeping, if she did her chores and behaved herself she gets a sticker on each chart. At the end of the week, count the stickers; 50 cents if she cleans and 50 cents if she behaves. If she cleans, but has a bad day, then she misses out on a whole dollar (place emphasis on the "whole dollar" if youre having behaviour issues) and only gets 50 cents for that day. It'll help her with both and save you money. As things start to be more routine for her, get rid of the charts and do weekly "presents", then "monthly" and then hopefully she'll be at the age that most kids are when they get a weekly allowance (if that is the route you want to take with her.)

GL!

Michelle - posted on 08/17/2009

My five year old is responsible for picking up her room, and putting her dirty clothes into the clothes hamper. I also have her put her clean clothes away after they are washed, dried and folded. I do not do an allowance because I feel keeping the house tidy is everyone's job.

Angie - posted on 08/17/2009

I think 5 is a great time to start a chore list. At 5 my children set the table, cleared the table and of course kept their rooms clean. On weekends they could vacume and dust with me. We've never given our kids allowance so I have no idea what the "going rate" is.