It’s never too early to ask your kids to help you with chores around the house. You can even start as early as two years old. Remember to supervisor young children. While children mature at different rates, you can still determine what age appropriate chores are best suited for toddlers, kids, pre-teens and teens.
If you have [tag-cat]toddlers[/tag-cat] at home, they can certainly help you by: making the bed; picking up their toys; feeding the family pet; helping you put laundry into the basket; or cleaning up split milk on the kitchen floor. These chores would be most suited to two and three year olds. You can teach your toddlers to do their chores by making a game out of it; or improvising different ways in which they can help. It will give them a sense of pride and accomplishment. Yes, even at that young age.
For four and five year olds, you can ask them to help you set the table; dust around the house; help make cookies; help you carry grocery bags (as long as you make it light for them). Six and eight year old can really get into the chores by taking care of the pet they’ve always wanted; help you vacuum the floor; take out the trash or fold the laundry.
You can even ask them to help you prepare meals. Think of the experience they are getting at this early age.
Your pre-teens will have their work cut out for them. Some of the more vigorous [tag-tec]chores[/tag-tec] can be relegated to outside work: rake the leaves; wash the car; help clean out the garage.
If you need help inside the house, they can certainly help you prepare meals, dusting and vacuuming the house; wash dishes or clean the bathroom. Certainly they would be old enough to make their beds; clear their room of debris; organize their [tag-ice]toys[/tag-ice], etc.
Teens pose a different problem altogether. Sometimes they are willing to help, and other times not. It depends on how you’ve raised them. If they have been helping out since they were two, you won’t have a problem. In fact, they can do almost anything you ask of them. Be sure they can manage whatever task you assign, however. If you’ve taught them well, they have the ability to prepare meals; clean the kitchen; wash windows; do the laundry; just about any indoor and outdoor chore you need, short of providing close supervision, of course. You wouldn’t want them to feel like a baby, now would you?
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