Chores for Kids
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Parents view chores as a way to teach kids that they have responsibilities as members of the household. Kids think of chores as stuff their parents think up to keep them from having fun. Ultimately, though, having household responsibilities are really about learning a key life lesson that should start at home.
Chores are usually the first work a kid does (paid or not) and may be the first real responsibility they have. Most of these lessons apply to many other things in life: schoolwork, sports and eventually paid work outside of the house. Why not get kids off to a good start by teaching them at home through chores for kids? Here are some great places to get started.
Kids can start helping out at a pretty young age. The key at any age is to be consistent in setting up the chore program as well as to choose age appropriate chores.
To get you started in the right direction, here is some background on why children should do chores. Once you have a good idea on the benefits, it's time to move on into the actual planning for the chores for kids that work for you. Then you will need a way to track them to ensure that everything is getting done. Depending on the child, you might also consider a chore contract, (with contract add-ons as needed) although this is best for older kids and tweens. And for all of this in one place (especially useful if you have kids at several ages), the chore guide is a great option.
Teen chores can present a whole new set of changes and challenges. It can be tempting to have them continuing to do the same sorts of chores that they have always done. But it can also be important for them to be introduced to the more adult responsibilities that need to be done.
At this age, the benefits of chores are already known, and you can focus on choosing the most age appropriate chores for your teen. You will also need to track what gets done either through chore charts or a chore contract. Find what works best for your teen - even if it takes several tries.
And, if you want to have all this information in one place (or if you also have younger kids), try our chore guide which has lots of useful information for all ages.
Use these resources and make it fun where you can. Chores are about preparing kids for the future, but it doesn't need to be a drag - for either you or them. Most importantly, get started. As with any skill or lesson, the earlier and more consistently the message is heard, the more likely it is to be learned.
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