I talked last week’s how chores are such an important part of family life and gave you a chore list for the toddlers/preschoolers and 6-8yrs old in your life.
They need to know that running a household takes work and they need to be a part of that! It helps teach them about hard work and helps to build character! Every Monday for a few weeks I will have a new chore list up for different ages.
Of course, your children 9-12yrs old can do any of the chores mentioned in the previous list for the toddler/preschooler or the 6-8yrs old!
They can also do:
Make Simple Meals (your children can make simple breakfasts and lunches easy)
Take Garbage Out/Bring Cans In
Wash/Dry Clothes
Clean Toilets
Mop Floors
Wash/Dry and Put Away Dishes
Shovel Snow
Help Bring in the Groceries/Put Them Away
I would love it if you would add it to the list. What chores do you have your 9-12 yr old do?
WANT TO REMEMBER THIS? SAVE THIS CHORE LIST TO YOUR PARENTING PINTEREST BOARD!
Hi there,
I started a set chore list a while ago, which I printed off and put on our kitchen door.
My 8 and 10 year old do quite similar jobs.
As well as their own chore list of making beds, doing their lunch for school etc. they also have to
dry the breakfast dishes, clean the bathroom sink, wipe down the table in the morning.
Then in the afternoon they have to help with preparing vegetables for tea, dry the tea dishes, clear the table, take out the compost pot etc.
There are also random jobs that come up now and then that they are asked to help with – like a little weeding, taking the sticks to the log pile, etc.
I have found it much better to have the list of regular jobs because they just know it is there and although they have to be reminded, they do not complain, which they did sometimes when they were just asked.
Here are some lists of what my children are capable of. We do no require all of these at any given time. However, if I fall sick, the children have been known to do them all.
1-2yr: Take things to the trash, gather specific objects, find people and bring them to Mommy or Daddy, pick up toys and return to predefined “homes”
2-4y: put some things into the dishwasher, fold kitchen towels into squares, match socks, put away own laundry (haphazardly), begin to use a broom, hold a dust pan, begin to rinse dishes and put away plastic ware, take laundry from room to laundry room, begin to make bed
4-6y: empty dishwasher, load dishwasher, rinse dishes competently, clean a room full of toys, make beds proficiently, sweep the floor, clear the table, put away most leftovers (need help with some things), wipe down the counters, clean a bathroom except for the tub, mop, vacuum (closer to 6y due to height), sort recycling, fold pants, socks, kids shirts, small towels, put away anyone’s clothes, empty the drier, sort clothes for the washer (with help)
my 8yo can: Cook meals like: scrambled eggs, sliced bacon, sliced steak, cut up peppers and onions, make sandwiches, make salad, use the rice cooker to make rice, and follow oral instructions to make soups, and one pot meals, cook frozen or canned veggies.
She can clean the whole kitchen top to bottom alone, though usually there is a team of siblings in there. Empty/load Dishwasher, wash dishes very well by hand.
Make small mends on her own clothing.
Supervise the 1 yo, while parents are home. Take him potty, change his clothing, give him a bath, wash his hair. Teaches him finger plays, songs, and pre-school activities which were planned by Mom.
Can clean any room in the house top to bottom (not deep cleaned unless that is orally instructed each time.)
Clean the deck, scrub the tiles.
Wash laundry independently, including wash, dry, fold, put away.
My 11 yo can: do all of the previous things plus:
mow the lawn and weed whack the edges with an electric weed whacker
Trim hedges, and bushes
scrub the sides of the pool, use the pool chemicals (not acid) with limited supervision, clean the pool filter with a hose
Supervise all siblings for up to 30 minutes unattended, or for hours while parents are in another room of the house.
Teach preschool, including planning activities from predefined curriculum
Dress the 3 year old.
Learning to iron.
Independently follows school plans
make minor repairs around the house
Cook almost anything, with a recipe.
All of the chores his younger siblings can do, he can not only do as well as an adult, but he can teach them how to do it, and supervise their activities pointing out where they did well, and where they need to go back and do it again. (He is currently the Kitchen Manager.)
grocery shop with a list and a limited budget, while mom sits at the front of the store
set up electronic devices like TV, Laptop
go to the library and get books without supervision, so mom can sit in the car and not take all of the children in!
Go into a small store and buy a couple items with cash, while mom sits in car outside of store.
Can completely organize a room, not just put away things which already had a predefined space.
Can wash baby diapers, and put cloth diapers on infants.
Can fold large towels, and all clothing, though not as neatly as an adult can.
Small household repairs with screwdrivers, hammer and nails, and paint.
We love to teach our children how to run a household. From the birth of our first, our goal was to teach them well enough that they could run the house by the time they were 13. We are well on our way.
Things remaining for our oldest: Learn to use a gas powered lawn mower (he will buy himself one very soon)
Learn to change the oil in a car
Learn to change a tire
Learn to balance a checkbook
Learn to create a week’s worth of menus, within the budget, and execute the purchase and cooking
Learn to observe what needs repair, or deep cleaning, and to make a list/plan, then to execute the plan.
Learn to plan his own schoolwork, and execute it without supervision.
Learn to build a fire, and other basic safety/survival needs.
Learn to use the grill.
Learn to run a small company.
You maam are totally and completely rocking it as a mom !! You are an inspiration to all us moms who can’t quite figure it out ! Your children will most definitely grow up to be productive members of society!
You are right on the mark! I agree wholeheartedly with all of your lists. Children need to be taught responsibility and self-reliance at a young age. Kudos!
oh yeah and he 11yo can take trash and recycling to curb without reminders.
I was a single mom from the time my son was 2 years old til he was 7, when I remarried. He’s had chores since he was 2 starting with very simple things to help out. He’s almost 10 now and we have 5 dogs, a pot belly pig, a cat, chickens, rabbit, and 2 horses. He’s responsible for feeding, watering and giving hay to all animals. We do help him, when he needs it. Unloading the dish washer, setting the table, cleaning off the table, push mowing the front yard, washing/drying/folding/hanging/putting away his laundry, cleaning his bathroom, dusting, cleaning his room, taking out trash, carrying in groceries and other odd and end stuff as needed.
I believe in teaching our children responsibility from the get go. He has a lot of freedom as well. Plays soccer and basketball, makes good grades, and has plenty of free time for friends and family.
That is awesome Ambrosia! Sounds like you are doing a fantastic job! Thanks for sharing!
Hi,
I have 4 children who are my world:) my oldest is an 11 yr old girl who has Asperger’s and sensory disorders. I also have 3 boys oldest one is 7, second one is 5 and has moderate Autism, while the baby of the family almost 2!
Structure and routine are a necessity with our family. So this is what we do on a daily basis (baring unexpected changes or meltdowns)!
My 11 yr old is responsible for cleaning out the cat litter, emptying all trash cans and replacing bags, cleaning her room, washing her bedding, and cleaning up the bathroom after all baths are taken.
My 7 & 5 yr olds do most of their chores together. Truthfully there are very few things they don’t do together. They are they are responsible for cleaning off the table after dinner, picking up anything in dining room floor, picking up toys in the living room, straightening up the toy room, and cleaning their shared room.
The baby hasn’t hit chore level yet, but he does love to help and everyone in the family loves to help him. So I will often here them coaching him to put a toy in the box or throw a piece of trash away.
Dad & me have our own chore that we do while they are doing there chores dad rinses dishes while I put them in the dishwasher and clean off counters , I oversee baths while dad sweeps, we both do a lot of orchestrating (dad calls it hand holding) each step of chores for everyone.
Does anyone have any opinions or suggestions for getting chores on a more independent level (taking into consideration the autism aspect of our family)
Thank you:)
Brandie
I am a single mom of a 9 and 11 year old. I work full time and take classes to finish my bachelor’s degree. There is just no way I can run the house on my own. I stress to the boys that we are a team and must work together so we can all enjoy our down time together. My boys do the items on your list as well as cleaning their bathroom, vaccuum, and walk/feed/water the dog and cat. I am a firm believer of kids helping out around the house. Cheers to all the moms out there!
I agree Catherine, Cheers to all! You moms are doing such a great job! Thanks so much for the visit, hope you join me again sometime!
I understand what the different ages are capable of but with 6 kids in our family I have a hard time dividing up the chores. I’d like to make up a list for each one to do, but who gets what and how much should each child get? They are capable of so much and will learn a good work ethic if they learn to work hard at home but that’s where I struggle. I know the majority of it will fall on me as a SAHM to see that it gets done and done right but when I start divying it up I feel like I’m giving them too much of my responsibility and then feel like I’m not giving them enough! Where’s the balance? Anyone want to help a girl out? Lol!
hi Jaquie! I’m a SAHM of 4 and I’m still figuring it out too! I just thought I’d share something I’ve been wanting to try and am in fact getting ready to start this month! I want to make a set of chore cards and have a lanyard type thing for each kid. I’ll assign a portion of the cards/chores to each child and give them the cards on the lanyard each morning. Maybe I’ll put it by their breakfast. They may keep that set of chores for a month or so, then we’ll switch them up. If it works, I may have the previous owner of the chore card teach the next one to do the chore well. As the chores get completed, they’ll bring me the card, just for accountability to start, I think. This way, I should be able to easily adjust and add as needed. Who knows! It might work! I’m going to try it anyway! My kids are girls:9 & 6, boys: 3 & 0.5!