September 21, 2017 by admin
Now I’m not suggesting child labour, but there’s plenty of help a child can give around the home to make your lives a little easier. Oh and also psychologists argue that when our children are given the chance to help us, they feel like fully-fledged members of the family, learn to be independent, and avoid becoming too daunted by notions of responsibility. So that too.
With that in mind, here is a list of age appropriate household chores that your little and not-so-little angels can get involved with:
Ages 2-3
- Put toys away
- Straighten their bed in the morning
- Put their clothes away
- Help lay the table
- Clean the table
- Help with baking
- Put their dirty clothes in the wash basket
- Wipe up spills
Ages 4-5
- All of the above and:
- Empty the dishwasher
- Tidy up their bedroom
- Water the houseplants
- Water the outdoor plants
- Match up socks and put away
- Put clean laundry away
Ages 6-7
- All of the above and:
- Clean the bathroom sink and counters
- Dust their bedroom
- Help pack their school lunches
- Collect rubbish from the bins ready for taking to the wheely bin
- Pull up weeds and rake leaves
- Help wash the car
Ages 8-9
- All of the above and:
- Load the dishwasher
- Put groceries away
- Help cook meals
- Load the washing machine
- Hang out washing
- Iron basic items such as tea-towels
Ages 10-11
- All of the above and:
- Sort the recycling bins
- Clean mirrors
- Prepare simple meals
- Clean toilets
- Mop floors
- Vacuum carpets
- Do the washing up
- Polish their shoes
Ages 12-Upwards
- All of the above and:
- Change their bed-linen
- Scrub the stove and oven
- Clean the fridge/freezer
- Polish the windows
- Make dinner for the whole family
- Babysit younger siblings
Manage each stage well and by the time you have a teenager, you’ll be able to sit back, relax and enjoy some down time whilst the little rays-of-sunshine bring you a glass of wine and your favourite book, load up a darks wash and cook you dinner.
You’re welcome.
*Note: for purposes of this post, assumption is children are reader’s own.