Should kids have chores?  If so, at what age and should you pay them?  If you talk to ten different parents, you’re probably going to hear ten different ways to tackle the kid and chore question (actually you should pose this question on your facebook page and see all the answers you get).  I’m not here to say that one philosophy is necessarily better than the other one or even to tell you what kids “should” be doing at any one age. (However I side with those that say kids should have responsibilities to complete around the house.)

Every kid, situation and family dynamics are unique for every family.  So if you are family that has chores, or in the process of deciding about how chores fit in with your family, I believe what’s most important is for parents to find effective ways to reinforce important qualities like responsibility, hard-work and respect.  Chores can be a great way to do this.

For my family, when considering what chores would be appropriate, we looked at things like what each child was capable of, what they are good at, what they enjoyed, what could be a little challenging, and if I am completely honest here, what things around the house were difficult to get done with our busy family life.  As far as whether you pay them or not is something we still debate. One slightly different approach is to give them a “bonus.” What I mean by this is if they, on their own, go above and beyond what is expected, we have often recognized this exemplary behavior with some type of cash payment.

Other things to consider is that chores not only help kids learn responsibility, they also help them learn what it feels like to finish a job (picture your kids not cleaning up after themselves or leaving the lights on in every room).  You know the satisfaction you feel when you have finished a job well done? Our kids need to know what that feels like, too!

One good way to get your kids started on more age-appropriate chores, simple—hand them a broom and tell them to get started!  I’m only half kidding. We really can over-think the whole idea of age-appropriate chores. I think every kid could help with just about every chore.  Now, the results will vary depending on age, but we can always look at a job that is well done—or at least mostly well done—and say, “You made my job a little easier. Thanks!”

By now, you should know that I am a list guy, so if you also like lists, here is one for you:

Chore Ideas for Age Groups:

Easy Tasks for Lower Elementary Grades

• Picking up toys at the end of the day
• Wiping counters and doorknobs
• Sweeping the porch
• Clearing the table
• Cleaning corners and small spills with a handheld vacuum

4th Grade and Up

• Putting away dishes
• Sweeping
• Vacuuming
• Wiping cabinets, tabletops, and counters
• Clearing smaller weeds

High School

• Scrubbing the shower
• Mowing the lawn
• Yardwork (weeding, trimming, etc)
• Tidying and organizing a whole room
• Laundry

I would love to hear your thoughts on this important topic.  Chores – necessary or not? If you enjoy the information we are putting out each week, or have any suggestions on what we should be discussing, please let us know.  The best thank you that we can receive is when you share our blogs with your followers.

I am honored to be on this journey with you!

Your Virtual Life Mentor,

Doug