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I'm curious to see what the responses are for your kids and chores. We live a relatively rural lifestyle and raised our kids to understand the importance of working within a household (many hands make light work). They started doing chores very early, age 5-ish or so.. My son is now 13 and my daughter 10.
They take care of two dogs, their own pets / animals, load and unload the dishwasher, clean up the yard from dog poo, my son carries sacks of wood pellets inside to the stove (he used to help split, stack and carry in firewood), they are responsible for their rooms, cleaning the family room, carrying their own laundry to the wash area, putting away clothes, setting and clearing the table for meals.. lets see- my son also helps with projects (has done for many years), so for example he is on the ladders / roof with Christmas lights, helped me patch the roof- etc, riding tractor helping with mowing or clearing trees..
So they are very much involved with 'working'. We used to butcher hogs every year and they were very involved with that too, as were the neighbor kids.
They get paid a weekly allowance of $5 each.
The only time they get a dispensation from chores is if they are loaded with schoolwork or scout work etc.. The other sibling has to pick up the slack and vice-versa.
Curious to see what others do and what chores they may be.
Our 4 year old has chores. There are not a set things he is supposed to do everyday but he is required to keep his toys put away and if he needs to clean them, he cleans them. He puts his laundry in the hamper and helps put them away in his dresser.
I believe FIRMLY in chores. I checked age 10 and above, but when I think of it, I am in error. I selected 10 plus, because that was the age at which I instituted Saturday AM chores and they began in earnest. Including vacuuming, animal care, changing sheets weekly, (although I helped) cleaning the bathrooms, raking leaves, taking out the garbage, snow shoveling, etc.
Chores are good for kids. I firmly believe they are good.
Mine have chores. They do not get a set weekly allowance. Our view is that "families work together to help each other...you are part of the family. I am not going to pay you to put away the clean dishes that you use or empty the garbage - that you use".
Extra / uncommon / harder chores (raking the leaves after a wind storm, cleaning out the garage, etc...) will earn the kids extra pocket money.
Because we don't give an allowance each week, we do not hassle our kids when they ask for a few dollars when heading into town or going to a movie.
On this same note - we don't pay for good grades either. Helping around the house and doing well in school are expected behaviors. You do not have a choice in doing these things, they are part of life.
My kids are 6 and 8. They pick up their own toys, make their beds (sometimes), take their own laundry to their rooms, and take the recycling from the kitchen to the bin in the garage. They don't get allowance right now.
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