I have a 12 year old daughter (my niece whom I am adopting), an 11 year old stepdaughter and two boys who are 8 and 6. I haven't yet given the boys chores, but the girls, being older, have to do the dishes. I have given the boys duties like setting and clearing the table, but the girls are bitter. I'd like to even things out, as well, create a reasonable allowance plan. This newly blended family situation is just seven months old, so the chore/allowance thing is new for me. I would think that you don't get paid allowance for chores, so what IS allowance for? What chores are suitable for 6-8 year olds? Hmm...

Lindsey - posted on 06/13/2011

My daughters are 9 and 3...my sons are 10 and 9 months... My kids have been doing chores since they were able to walk (cleaning up after themselves to start, then on to helping fold towels and wash clothes, then on to helping out with dishes) I think it's a good idea to start them when they're smaller to get them in the hang of things...mine actually liked to help out.

Alexandra - posted on 06/13/2011

Personally in my when i was a kid (my son is 13 months old still too young for chores) my parents did pay according to the # of chores we did. They believed if we worked hard why shouldnt are allowance reflect it. My sister and i could clean the whole house top to bottom by the time we were 7 years old. If one week one of us got lazy and did nothing, we got nothing. They did not believe in handing us money just because. They believed (and so do i) that if we worked for our money we would apprecite it more and learn that money didnt just fall from the sky, like a lot of children do these days. The little boys can learn to sweep, dust, put toys away, wash dishes, (though i would not recommend any knives and always supervise in case anything breaks) fold laundry, load the washer and dryers, ( i would seperate the clothes myself so no ones whites end up pink) the older girls can put the laundry away, mop the floors, clean windows, etc etc. They really can handle a lot more than most people think. Most of the kids that age that i know actually enjoy doing there chores. At least for the time being. As they get older they probably wont want too anymore because they'll want to hang out with there friends.

If the older girls start to complain that they have to do more work than the boys or harder work, i would suggets a chore wheel. It basically lets the chores rotate between the kids so every week they get to try something new and no one gets bored with doing the same thing over and over. Hope any of this helps you :)

Gwen - posted on 06/13/2011

All of the kids are old enough to clean the bathroom, fold laundry, dust, run vacuum (age 8+), make their bed, empty dishwasher (maybe 8+ to reach cupboards), pick up toys, etc.

Noelle - posted on 06/13/2011

Great advice!! Thank you!!

Jane - posted on 06/13/2011

Allowance is for learning how to deal with money, to learn to budget or save for what you want.

Chores are for learning how to work together as part of a group and for learning what it takes to manage a household and how to do it.

Some people give their kids a basic allowance but allow them to earn more by doing extra chores as approved by the parents. A list of these chores can be posted in a common area and might incude vacuuming a particular room, cleaning the tub and sink in the bathroom, helping fold laundry, or other similar, discrete chores.

You do need to give everyone chores. Setting the table IS a chore. So is clearing the table and wiping it down, chores that your younger kids are perfectly capable of doing. While the boys might not be strong enough yet to take out a full trash bag, they might be able to take out one day's worth, especially if they are working together.