Chores, Chores, Chores!

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I’m sure we can all remember being a kid and complaining about the chores our parents wanted us to do. This particular exchanged happened more than once at our house:

“Mom, I don’t want to wash the dishes!”
“Well I don’t either! Why do you think I had kids, anyway?”

My mom was obviously joking and her comment led to inevitable grumbling, but the chores eventually got done and everyone was happy. A holy grail of parenting must be getting children to complete chores without complaining.

One of the keys to successful chore assignment is ensuring chores are age-appropriate. While you may dream of someone else washing the dishes, it is unlikely a child can clean the kitchen before age ten. But just because a child cannot do the chore you need the most help with does not mean he cannot help at all. Toddlers in particular are very enthusiastic helpers, even though their brand of helping might not actually be helpful. Despite the setbacks a toddler helper might cause, it’s important to encourage young children’s enthusiasm for helping because it lays the groundwork for complaint-free helping in the future.

If chores are part of children’s lives from an early age they will be more likely to be helpful as teens and adults. Having a chore chart with age-appropriate chore assignments inspires successful chore completion. The following table contains examples.¹

Putting the chores you expect your children to do on a chart can help motivate them to complete the chores. One reason is the sense of accomplishment that comes from crossing something off of a list. Another benefit is that you always know what your child has or has not done and you can provide appropriate encouragement and rewards. If you have more than one child a chart could be doubly beneficial because each child can see what his siblings have done and feel motivated to “match” them.

Chore assignments can vary by family, and it is important to be realistic about what your child can do when choosing which chores to assign. All children mature at different rates, and assigning overly complex chores can frustrate children and make them unwilling to help in the future. Good chore habits last a lifetime, so putting thoughtful planning into your family routine is worth it. Good luck!

¹ Aguirre, Sarah. “Age Appropriate Chore Charts.” http://housekeeping.about.com/od/chorechart1/a/ageapprchores.htm

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