What age to start children washing up?

valk_scot

My seven year old can wash up (bar the knives), make toast or sandwiches, make herself a snack (no unsupervised hot cooking though), sort, fold and put away laundry, make the beds, brush and wash down the stairs, hoover, polish and tidy up. She especially loves baking and will happily generate 48 rock buns or cupcakes for her brother's rugby club or whatever. All I have to do is put them in the oven.

Her brother is 12 and can do all the above plus cook a simple meal, make the packed lunches, make cups of tea, sort out and wash dirty clothes correctly, clean the bathroom, sort and carry out the recycling, take out the bins and mow the lawn. Plus go and get shopping...actually, he's a pretty good bargain hunter!

They both do chores daily though obviously how much per day depends on what they're doing that day. I expect bed to be made, dirty laundry in bin and table cleared after dinner as an absolute minimum even on a busy school day plus usually one other chore, like emptying the dishwasher or sorting and putting away their clean clothes. On weekend days and holidays I expect a good half hour of household contribution, more if there's a big job to be done. The kids don't mind this...yes they groan a bit but they know if they pitch in I'll have more time to take them places or just generally be with them. Also I don't think it does kids any favours at all to grow up not expecting to do anything around the house. By the time they move out both of them will know how to do all the normal household chores.

Except maybe ironing. I don't approve of ironing except in emergencies and never do any. They'll have to learn ironing from somewhere else!

Smits

I always wash up after myself unless its a family meal, in which case my dad usually does it, then i'll dry it all later.

I've always had to wash up or dry up since i was about 10 tho.

I think you should just stick with the, clean up after yourself. The older two shouldnt be discouraged from coming round just to avoid washing up, i mean, they are adults! Obviously the younger one may think it wise not to come round if he dislikes washing, but really he shouldnt and will probably be more than happy to do so as it literally takes what, five minutes?

xmaslolly76

On the dishwasher front we have one now got it about 4 months ago and it is a godsend i wouldnt be with out it. Cost me £50 off ebay so initial outlay wasnt expensive and if we wash up manully you can guarentee we have to do it about twice a day where as dishwasher only goes on once very two days. Also the kids used to do the washing up by hand so they now have no problem loading and unloading the dishwasher as its obviously easier for them. :-)

jackieb

My mum didn't let me do anything. I got to iron when I was 16, which I turned out to be good at. She was/is a cleanaholic and I wouldn't have did anything up to her standards. She found it easier and quicker to do it by herself.

It doesn't do your children any favours not getting them to help, believe me. Once I moved out, it was a huge shock to the system.