Children and helping around the house.

pigpen

I expect my brood to do one thing.. AS THEY ARE TOLD!!!!!!! lol..

lol.. ok.. I'm mean..

DD5 (3 years old) finds shoes and coats and puts things in the bin and helps us pick up toys.. she doesn't do anything without help/supervision.. obviously! She likes to put away her own clean laundry too.
DD4 (5) she gets her own pj's and dresses herself and choose her own clothes on a weekend. She has to put away her own things and put away dirty & clean laundry. Help put away toys and try to help with the tidying
DD3 (7) She is expected to take away her laundry, clean and dirty, strip her bed on wash day, keep track of her own shoes and coat etc and belongings.. if they are lost it is her own fault.. help put away toys and generally tidy.
DS3 (9 almost) put his own laundry away, clean and dirty. keep his room tidy.. with the help of his brother (DS2) strip his bed on wash day. help tidy other rooms.
DD2 (10) put away clean and dirty laundry. Keep her room a bit under control (she shares with the 3 little ones at the moment so that is hard) look after her belongings. Feed and clean out her rabbit. Occasionally she is asked to unload DW or clear the table. Juice for others and sometimes cereal.. if we are busy and when she is doing her own. She loves to vacuum.
DS2 (12 but has learning diffs) he is expected to do the same as DS3 & DD2.. but occasionally make a cup of tea/coffee also. He also vacuums.
DD1 (13) She is expected to do all of the above. help tidy, move laundry, make drinks, sometimes on a weekend she does lunch.. sandwiches or noodles or something simple. Her own ironing if she wants something flat. Clear table, load DW, unload DW. empty & reload TD.. DD2 usually helps as well.
DS1 (16) All the above plus does his own ironing and cooking usually as he isn't here for most meal times. Sort his own laundry.

Every weekend we have a MAJOR tidying session and everyone helps at their own level.. there are too many of them not to help.

The bigger ones often help the younger ones with dressing or getting food.. because they choose to. I would never make them do something for one of the others unless it was necessary to get us to school on time for example and I was busy..

Kimmywim

what an interseting thread!

Just to let you know that ist never too late to start, currently my 18 month will put her dirty nappies in the bin (is that cruel?! they are wrapped up in nappy bags!) she puts all her dirty clothes in a pile next to the washing machine and puts her toys on her bed and tidys up her toys as best as she can!! oh and she loves polishing as well!
My 3 year old does the same but also helps make her sandwiches and loves baking cakes although she does insist on sitting in front of the oven until they are baked!!

redmel1621

I don't get my boys (5&7) to do too much around the house really, they have to

Take out plates, cups etc to the kitchen when finished.
Put any rubbish in the bin.
Put clothes in wash basket.

although they are only allowed to have toys in their bedroom so that helps, and they only dress or undress in their room too.

They take after dh and are not really too messy anyway, thankfully. I have been thinking about the dishwasher but we have stone floor not lino so i worry if they drop anything it will definately smash so maybe it's not really safe.

Mel x

webitha

the earlier you start to train them the better they will be equipt for adult life

DS (8years) load/unload dishwasher, sort out washing and put a wash on, keep bedroom tidy/strip bed, put ironing away, clean bathroom, hoover, dust, clean table away after tea, sweep and mop kitchen floor

DD1 (6years) everything as brother

DD2 (3 years) put toys away, put things in bin, and tries to do above

my god i sound so lazy lol, but i go round after them as they obviously dont do it to my standard as they as kids but they will by the time they leave as long as they make an effort
i am also in the process of teaching son how to cook both he and DD1 can make bread and follow recipes i just hover they seem to really enjoy the cooking the eating even better lol

Little_Miss_Saver

Hi ya

My DS who is 11 is expected to help me around the house, he has to keep his rooms clean & tidy (he has a bedroom & a playroom) as well as putting the washing up away each night.
He has to put his dirty washing in the wash basket daily and put his clean washing away.
He also has a hamster which he is responsible for and he cleans her out once a week.

Sometimes he will help me with other chores but he takes alot of pursuading(sp)!! :rolleyes:

LMS xx

baileysbattlebus

I was like abbecar when I was growing up - I had to do lots of work around the house and as the eldest of 4 I had the most to do and hated it and I vowed my children wouldn't be the same. I didn't actually make them do anything, especially when they were very young. As they got older it was their choice. My son wanted pocket money when he was about 9 or 10 and he got paid every week for clearing the table and helping with the washing up and putting the rubbish out.
I used to put the washing away and change beds and clean the house and worked full time. When the children were older they used to help clean - but they weren't made to - but if they wanted any pocket money they had to earn it.
I didn't want it to be a drudge for them and begrudged because they had to do it, as it had been for me.
When they were about 14 I stopped putting their clothes away and just used to put them in their rooms and by then they stripped their own beds at the weekends. Quite often when they were older they would offer to do the housework in return for some money - and I let them - as they would do it all, hoovering, dusting, bathrooms, toilet etc. I think that taught them that if you want anything you have to work for it, which is as good a lesson as any as we spend most of our liives at work.

sticher

I have 3 boys - 14, 11 (almost) and 9.

All are supposed to put their dirty washing in the linen bin (usually do, but not always), take their cups and plates to the kitchen and hang their school coats and bags up.

Older two are responsible for unloading the dishwasher everyday, and younger one the washing machine. All 3 are supposed to put 5 items in the dishwasher each day (to cut down what I have to do).

Oldest brings in the washing off the line in the Summer, youngest unloads the tumble drier in the winter. 10 year old takes the rubbish out 2 x per week.

Occasionally they strip their beds and do other jobs - eg clean the bathroom, or hob.

EVERYTHING TAKES ME MORE EFFORT TO GET THEM TO DO IT THAN IT WOULD TO DO IT MYSELF!! LOL - But I think it's important they help out and learn how to do stuff.

I helped my Mum when I was young - didn't enjoy it - but was still glad I could help her. I may have resented it - I can't remember, but now I am pleased to look back on what I did.

destiny_star2006

aww i feel sorry for some of the kids when reading this lmao
although when i take a list of what my dd does whos 4 they dont sound too bad maybe im just a skivvy pmsl

minibudgetgal

I have 8 and 10 YO boys. This is what they do:
- Make their own beds and tidy their rooms every day
- Strip their beds every sat morning
- Wipe down table after breakfast and wash and dry dishes
- Put dirty clothes in their laundry baskets and bring down for washing when full
- They are responsible for doing recycling and feeding dogs mon- fri
- They get £2 each week to spend, but only if they do their jobs. (I am also a bit mean an "fine" them if they leave lights on/Sky on pause for hours etc)
I work fulltime as a teacher and really work hard to not let things slip at home (one of those poor cows from the "do it all" generation!!!!)- I really enjoy keeping things nice, and I hope when the boys are older they will be as helpful round the house as my dear husband. (No I am not being sarky lol!);)

Scared1980

Hi everyone...

I was just wondering if any of you had some tips on how I can get my two dd's involved with the Old Style ways and Flylady :0)

I work 4 days a week 7:30am until 5pm, so when I am at home I have quite a bit of housework etc. to do, but I also want to spend time with my dd's. They are nearly 5 and nearly 2!!! dd1 loves helping and can pretty much turn her hand to anything... dd2 on the other hand likes to undo anything I have done lol!

HELP!!!!

Thanks in advance

Lyns
x