The hardest part of running a home for me is to get the people pictured below to do their chores. I don't like to manage people. It is easier for me to just do the job instead of telling someone else to do it. For me the easiest way to handle this is to put one of my oldest in charge of chore time and assigning jobs. Each child also has a room that they are responsible for and they have to make sure it is picked up every day. This has solved a lot of our chore problems.
Mamatoto asked about age appropriate chores. I used to be much better at having the little ones help out. I do encourage the older children to have a younger one help them. We are training them to do dishes, cook, and clean the house.
Here is a quick list I came up with.
Under 18 months
~Dust
~Sort clean laundry as you fold
~Pick up
~Wipe table, walls, whatever
~Throw things away for you as you are working
18 months-3 years
~Send them on errands(Take this to my room and put it on the bed)
~Fold washcloths or just put items into piles of towels, washcloths, socks
~Help pick up toys
~Wipe table
~Put silverware away
~Make his bed
~Dust low things
~Help cook-stir, dump, cut with butter knife
~Wash dishes(really just playing)
~Empty little trash cans from around the house
3-5 years
~Change his sheets
~Put laundry into washer or dryer depending on what type you have
~Empty dishwasher
~Fold some laundry
~Help make mom's bed
~Sweep
~Mop
~Clean windows
~Feed animals
~Help cook
~Pull weeds/plant garden
5-7 years
~Do own laundry with help
~vacuum if strong enough
~Help clean bathroom
~Sweep/mop
~Pull weeds
~Mow with a push mower if strong enough
~Plant own garden spot
~Make a simple lunch
7-9 years
~Laundry on own
~Wash most dishes by self
~Vacuum and do a decent job
~Do a nice job sweeping and mopping
~Clean the bathroom
~Take care of own garden without help
~Make dinner with some help
The most important thing is to thank the child, tell them what a good job they did, and tell them how much they helped you. They need to know that you needed their help and that they made life easier for you. Give them something to be proud about. You can ask your little boy to flex his arm muscles and then brag on how strong he must be to carry the can of tomatoes or the milk jug. The littlest ones are not really doing much besides learning to work. It is mostly play and it should be fun. The children under five rarely do a job on their own, their chores are mostly helping someone else work.
My husband is really patient and will let any age help him do anything from cooking breakfast to changing the oil. I leave him alone and let him determine when a child is ready to do something. Sometimes I have to leave the room so I don't interfere!
