What chores do your kids do?

[Madi]

Do your kids have set jobs that they do? What age do you think is appropriate to start? And how do you encourage (enforce?) them to do it?

[chaos]

Rhiannon (13) unstacks the dishwasher after I run it. Reality - I have to nag her every time, but at least she does it.
She also does her own washing. The dishwasher job is her pocket money chore, the washing and occasional babysitting her brothers 'pays' for her mobile phone. If she doesn't do her washing, well, mostly she just has to wear dirty clothes! If it became a big issue, I would confiscate the phone.
Michael (11) used to be responsible for stacking the dishwasher, but he kept refusing and I got sick of the drama. I offered him some choices, and now he's in charge of mowing the yard - backyard one weekend, front yard the next, pick up palm fronds etc on the weekends that the mowing doesn't need to be done (the other boys help with that). we have a battery operated child-friendly mower :)
Lukas (7) and Ben (5) don't have specific chores, but they're expected to take the recycling out to the bin and similar tasks when I ask them. When Lukey turns 8 in September, I will probably give him a specific job, something like sweeping the kitchen floor.
If they don't do the jobs that are associated with their pocket money, they have to pay me to do them (ie lose pocket money)

They're all expected to pick up their own toys, dirty clothes etc. In reality they don't, and the house looks like a bomb has gone off. I'm working on getting it presentable, and have warned them that if toys etc are left in the living areas that I will confiscated them if I have to pick them up. If they don't put their washing in the basket, then they don't get clean clothes.
I hate that 'threatening' is the only way to get them to do anything *sigh*

[Rinelle]

We don't do chores. Forcing Ezri to do something just makes everyone in the family miserable, and in my opinion, just makes her resent having to do 'chores'. Either DH or I do most of the cleaning, cooking etc.

That is not to say Ezri doesn't do anything around the house. Quite often when she wakes up in the morning and I say I'll be out in a minute because I'm going to make the bed, she'll make her own (not perfectly, but I make sure I don't interfere or straighten it up, at least until she's left the room). If I'm making our bed, quite often she will help do one side while I do the other.

Lately she's become fascinated with cooking, so she's starting to help out in the kitchen where she can. She'll often make her own breakfast, and loves to make breakfast for DH or I. She loves to help put clothes into the washing machine and add the powder and turn it on if she's around when I'm doing it.

If the living room is a terrible mess, I'll sometimes ask everyone in the house to pick up 5 things and put them away. Sometimes Ezri will participate, sometimes not.

[Madi]

Hudson has three set jobs - at the end of the day, when I'm doing a packup and vacuum, he puts all the books back on the bookshelf, takes his dishes up to the bench, and before bed, he shuts down his computer and pushes his chair into his desk. If there are lots of things on the floor where I need to sweep/vacuum, I get both the kids to put everything up on the lounge, and then I put them away.

He's never really argued about it - sometime he'll say he's too tired to pack up the books, and I'll help. We don't have conditional pocket money. When we started asking him to do those three things, I explained that we all live in the house and we all need to work together to make it enjoyable and clean.

Oh, and if he make a big mess (like unrolling toilet paper or pulling out all cotton balls) I expect him to help at least a little bit to clean it up.

[Hailstorm]

I tell my kids to do things but they very rarely will so no my kids don't have set chores, but they will occasionally help me do a tidy and I'll give them little jobs to do, take dishes to sink, put dirty clothes in the laundry etc

[sarah bean]

No chores really...(and no pocket money). B6 puts his own laundry away (I fold it, he puts his pile into the right spots on his shelf), tidies away toys once he's done playing with them, and takes his plates/cups/cutlery etc up to the bench when he's done eating. I don't call those chores to him though, just yknow, laundry has to get onto your shelves somehow, and toys get trodden on/accidentally vacuumed if they're not picked up...

I can't really think of anything else he always does lol, but just like hubby or myself if there's something that needs doing and he's the one standing around, he is expected to do whatever else when it's needed, like clearing/wiping the table, taking rubbish out etc just on an as needed basis.

ETA Kyls post reminded me that actually H4 (global developmental delays, so not exactly "4 yo") does do one thing... he puts his dirty clothes in the laundry hamper when he takes them off ;) (6yo does that too if that doesn't go without saying...)

[Karena]

Both Harry and Brock have wash boxes in their rooms. When I tell them I'm washing they need to bring their wash boxes to the laundry. Harry helps me put the clothes in the washer and both boys then have to return their boxes to their rooms. This is really the only job Brock has to do.
Harry keeps his room tidy and makes his bed. He also helps clean up the dishes after dinner and if asked with give the floor a quick sweep. I encourage both boys to help pick up the toys before bath time, by doing a 5min clean up. We race around cleaning up as much as possible in 5mins, this is usually enough time to get everything packed up.
Harry gets pocket money if his room has been kept tidy and he's helped with any other general stuff around the house. I often tell Harry when he is complaining, that we are a family and we all live together and make the mess so we all need to work together to clean it up. He rarely complains anymore.

[Zenifa]

My girls are still a bit young for 'pocket money' imo as they are only (about to turn) 3 and 5. They do help out with tidying, especially their books, toys, games etc, and they also set the table before each meal, take their dishes when finished to the kitchen etc. They do put their clean clothes away once they are washed, dirty clothes in dirty clothes bag, make their bed (involves just pulling the duvet up to the pillow, so no sheet tucking), help with loading/unloading our FL washing machine,& occasional help with other jobs I'm doing.
I guess both of my girls started 'helping' when they were 2yrs. It starts as a game, or they are imitating/pretending, and then eventually we start letting them try different tasks, and we find that often they will ask to help or start doing things. Of course we do have days when they are uncooperative or unwilling, and we ask them several times and then leave it and try later. We find its not worth the tension, raised voices and frustration, as we know that most of the time they are willing to do it.

Not sure when is the right age for pocket money, but I guess we will wait a few years if possible. I fear that my eldest won't do any task without $$ if I start allocating tasks and pocket money attached to them. THey do have a piggy bank, but its only given $$ when we have lose change, not attached to them 'being good' or having done any tasks, its usually quite random.

[jodiemiller]

We don't call them chores, but I definitely think contributing to the smooth running of the household is everyone's concern. No-one should be expecting ME to do what they can do.

All kids are expected to contribute (not related to pocket money) communally by unstacking the dishwasher, making their beds, hanging up their bath towels and participating in Saturday morning bedroom (and playroom) clean up. If they don't help out, I threaten to stop doing their laundry and cooking meals. :) Seems to work.

They spontaneously clean up spills and now and then will offer to wipe tables and sweep or mop the floors. Miss Eight is a clutter bug, but now and then she gets the urge to go all neat freak and wants to wipe down the whole kitchen, or whatever. She's also good at organising the others. Master Ten is a 'get in and do it, then it's done' sorta kid, so he'll sometimes take the initiative and do it for everyone.

Because it's routine now, I don't have to nag (as much as before) so hang in there mamas, and remember the thank them when the job's done. :)

Came back to add that Master Ten and Master Seven are also expected to help out with the once a month clean of the chook shed (we'll get the girls involved too, Miss Eight has helped but Miss Four is still a big young for that).

[Joey]

My kids are just expected to do day to day stuff too, take the bin out if you see that it is full, if the sink has warm soapy water in it then wash your place up, rinse dishes and stack them, clothes in the wash etc. Plus they also help me with drying up, hanging washing and by vacuuming when I ask (or to be honest when i nag or throw my hands in the air and have a mummy tanty about how they don't do anything). They are pretty good.

[chaos]

:rofl @ the mummy tanty
guilty of that one here too!

[mama_bel]

I'm the resident task master I think!

Brit is 16 and she sorts the clean washing daily, bringing it in from the lines and dryer if it's out there and dry. She also folds all the linen (our sheets usually go back on the bed so it's towels, tea towels, bath mats, etc mainly). Brit cooks 1-2 nights a week, depends if she's home. She washes up 1-2 times a week too (by hand, dinner dishes for 8+ people). There are a few other things she does to help. She's expected to keep her own room clean and tidy and I very rarely go in there. Brit gets no pocket money because she works outside the home 8-16 hours a week so has her own money. She pays for most of her 'extra' needs, her phone credit and saves. Brit has no pets of her own.

Once Brit has sorted the washing, all the kids fold their own and put it away. I help Heath (6) with his folding. Their cupboards are a bit messy, btw. :p

Imogen is 14 and she shares a chore with Abby - they take turns to sweep the living areas daily. We live on a farm and the floors end up grotty every day, but I only vaccuum and mop as required. The sweeping helps! Imogen also looks after 40+ chickens and 2 horses daily. She cooks once a week, washes up twice a week, etc. She cleans her own room that she currently shares with her sister (8). Imogen works 7 hours a week in town and she pays for anything "extra", phone credit and saves, like Brit.

"Extra" stuff is cosmetics, toiletries I don't supply like smelly toxic things, junk food, some outings (movies with friends), some items of clothing/accessories, etc.

Abby is 13 in September and takes turns sweeping in the mornings with Immi. She also cares for a dozen or so guinea pigs and three cats. She has her own room and keeps it clean. She cooks once a week, washes up twice, etc. Abby gets a monthly allowance and has no phone or other expenses - mainly just going out with friends.

Bryce is 11 and washes the brekky dishes daily and helps me cook once a week. He has no pets to care for. He tidies his room he shares with his brother (6.5). Sometimes he does extra stuff like mowing (ride-on, flat ground, open space), taking rubbish out, etc. He gets weekly pocket money. If he hasn't been helpful, he gets less/none, so in that way chores are tied to money, but it's not fiercely policed or threatened, it's just an understanding.

Lily is 8 and clears the table after dinner each night (not our eating dishes, the serving plates and dressing/sauce and so on). She tidies her own room with nagging. Lily has 4 ducks and cares for them herself (we help when required). She gets weekly pocket money, same deal as Bryce.

Heath is 6.5 and he sets the table each night and tidies his room with Bryce's help. He has no pets of his own but helps collect eggs! He also gets weekly pocket money and if he hasn't helped, he gets less.

As well as putting their own washing away, and bringing the dirty stuff out of their rooms each morning (it doesn't always get to the basket!), they are responsible for their own shoes, bags, toys, desks, etc.

Sometimes I have extra jobs for the kids if they want to earn more money, like cleaning windows (low) or washing cars. I normally do almost everything else, but if we're running late or guests are coming or I'm sick, I'll direct them to what needs doing - hanging washing, for example.

[Savannah]

We do things together :)

I have been putting this idea into practice more and more over the last couple of months. We had a really hard time getting DD to do any of her 'jobs' and when I would ask her too, she would carry on like a pork chop! Now she will do things I would never have asked her to do in the past.

We sat down for a chat about it and she said that she found it boring to do them alone and that she hated stopping a game to go and do jobs. So we stopped calling them jobs and we just pitch in together. Some days things don't get done (there is still washing on their bedroom floor from Friday) because I run out of time, but most days it works well.

Today while I was planting trees, she had had enough of that so she went and got the washing in. I fed the chickens, she did their water. Etc.

[mama_bel]

I didn't answer the OP's questions... Chores are expected here, but when they crack up about it, I generally only ask a couple of times and then do it myself, but there are consequences (less pocket money if it's recurring, or refusal to do a favour for a teenager if they haven't been helpful). That's bribery, I know.

Chores begin as soon as they can physically do something - setting the table is normally the first one they take on... Depends on the child what age that is...

[Harmony]

We have responsibilities here, rather than chores. Everyone is learning to do their due diligence, myself included (nb - I am on the internet instead of doing the washing or getting dinner out of the freezer - work in progress :2lol) The older they get, the more I expect them to fulfill their responsibilities without being reminded, although in practice, H is very distractible and will need reminding a lot for a long time, A is often very resistant and needs to be left alone, B is pedantic and borderline obsessive, hand washing is the latest 'thing' she likes to do a lot :)

Here's the list H and I agreed to, she will be 7 on Thursday!
tidy bed
get dressed
take dishes to the bench
drink probiotics
clean teeth morning and night
do school work
tidy up toys that you use
keep craft and papers tidy
put dirty clothes in your wash basket
drink your water
put shoes, hats and jackets away in the boot box
put your clean clothes away in your cupboard

I would add "other tasks as requested" to that, she does a lot of fetching and carrying for me, less as I breastfeed less though :)

The others basically do tasks as requested, (just glanced at bel's post, they do set the table, as an example) as they get older we'll work on the things above, and we'll also add basic housecleaning tasks like sweeping, washing and dishes, we talk about how when they're old enough to help, we can spread the work around and have more time as a family to play.

[Stardust]

No real set chores either. Mol (neasrly 6) generally sets the table. She's expected to put her dirty dishes in the sink or dishwasher. Everyone has a box of stuff (Em's idea and brilliant!) and at the end of each day it needs to be put away by the owner. Stuff like making sure her stuff is put into her school bag, putting clothes in the laundry. Rose is two and loves to do chores. Loves helping to hang the washing out, help with cooking, turn on the dishwasher and washing machine. Both girls just like to help (mostly!), putting things away, wiping spills up, sorting and tidying books/toys...that sort of thing. I find like lots of you that the more things are forced the more unpleasant it is for all in the family, so we try and just let it be a part of the general flow of things.

[Bubly]

I find it really difficult to get the boys to assist with things around the house on a regular basis! It's probably partly because I'm lazy myself, so housework is never really a priority, but it does need doing eventually (damn!), and I want them to take some responsibility as members of our family.
Miss 20months loves to help unstack the dishwasher and does it every day!
Mr 4 is pretty good, I can get him helping if we do things together and he does a great job of working alongside me, but Mr 6 is a nightmare!! He never wants to do anything, and if we all work together he just manages to play around the edges, whinge and not actually do anything - he's the master of looking busy! I have no idea how to encourage some sense of responsibility and pride in taking care of things with him. I don't expect alot, but it would be nice if he would join in with a general tidy every now and then.