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[disneyprincess]

Ok, so for those of you that have kids, I know this question has come up before but here it goes again.

Do your kids have chores and what do they do? What are their ages? Mine used to help out but now they don't. The oldest, DS 14yr does EVERYTHING! He feeds the dog, picks up the dogs doo, takes out the trash, etc. DD 11 (soon to be 12) does NOTHING! She thinks she is too good to pick up after the dog. She doesn't even like the dog. The two youngest, 8 and 5 don't do anything.

So what would you suggest for my brewd and what do your's do?

[smilechaser]

sounds so familiar. I also have 4 kids. I am amazed at how lazy they have become. And I don't expect alot out of them but they won't even pick up laundry, dishes, etc behind themselves. Of course they come by it honestly because their dad is the same way. Hope it makes you feel like you are not alone out there!

[DebiDebiDebi]

We taught our girls from a very early age that doing chores/working is a part of life. When they were young 8 & 10 years old, we all washed the bread trucks for DH's work place. We would trudge down there once a week, and wash 18 bread trucks with brushes and hoses. This is how we earned vacation money, and if mom & dad had to work for vacation, then the kids did too. As they grew, they had chores at home and there was no if ands or buts about it...they were expected to do the chores, and they did. When they were old enough, both got part time jobs to earn their own money. Now they are full grown adults, and both are hard working, responsible employees.

[Teresa]

My kids still at home at 9 and 13. They've been taught from a young age that "You live here, you work here."
The 13 yr. old does more, just because she's taller. She puts up all of the dishes that go above the counter. She does most of her own laundry

The 9 yr. old puts up all of the dishes below the counter. She sorts and pre-treats laundry, and is responsible for making sure that all pieces are turned right side out, since she's the biggest culprit of staining and wrong-side outing!

Both: feed, water, clean up after, groom and help bathe both dogs and both cats. They vacuum the entire house, and clean their bathroom and the 1/2 bath. they make their beds every day. they keep their rooms clean. Dusting the living, dining, family and rec rooms are split. They clear the table after supper, and pour the drinks for supper. They clean and vaccuum my car when it's needed -they make most of the mess in it! They also help outside with the grass and the flowers in the spring/summer/fall and shovel snow in the winter. If we go boating, they have to help get the tents, camping gear and boat ready. they also have to help clean them when we get home.
Kids who have jobs, ones that are necessary for the daily maintenance of the family have been shown to be happier and better adjusted than kids that have no responsibilities.
In our house, I don't care if they don't like the dog or it's poo. It's their job, period! Don't do it right the first time, that's okay - you can practice all day until you get it right. I DO NOT go around behind them to fix their mistakes - if they didn't do it right, the only way they'll learn is to do it until it meets MY standards! Took me until the 3rd and 4th kids to figure this out! I'm happier, because I'm not running around nagging for them to do something, and then fixing it anyway, and they're happier because they learned how to do it right and have pride in their work.

Oh, and my kids' allowances ARE tied to how well they do their chores - no work = no money, just like in real life!

[wvugrrrl]

I don't have kids, but I thought I'd jump on here and give my two cents. As a child growing up, both my sister and I had to do chores. We didn't have allowances, but at the same time, we never had to beg our parents for money either. It was understood if you did what you were told, then when we went to the mall (or wherever), if we asked for something, we usually got it.
I grew up knowing how to do my own laundry, clean house (every Saturday!), cook, do dishes, mow the lawn, garden and prune hedges, wash cars, etc.
At the time, I used to get irritated at having to always do these menial chores; I was even known to remark to my parents that they were lucky they had such great slave labor (I was a bit of a smart-mouth back in the day ).
However, as a young adult, I do realize now how important those chores were. It amazes me that people my age can't do half the things that I can. DBF couldn't do laundry when we first started dating (20 years old) and he still has a hard time with it. And he's not so much lazy as he is...neglectful. Like, if I come into a room, I see the stuff that needs fixed. But if you don't spell out in explicit detail what needs to be done, he won't take initiative.
I feel like kids these days are too spoiled with video games, tv, movies, computer, etc and they don't have as much real-world experience as my sister or I did. (God, I'm starting to sound old here, pretty soon I'm going to call kids whippersnappers). So I totally support your choice to give your kids chores. Believe me, it makes them better-functioning adults.

[poohmaine]

Ours is a very simple plan: If our girls don't do their chores, they don't get their allowance.

They have a list of what we expect them to do every day, and if it isn't done, no allowance. Of course, you have to adjust the chores by age.

At first, the oldest stopped doing chores for almost a month, then decided she really did miss that allowance.

[dejavu]

We don't do allowance. If the kids help out, as they usually do, they get money when they need it to go to a game or movie or whatever.

My 12 and 14 yr. olds do their own laundry, the 8 yr. old, brings his up and down to the laundry room and puts his clean clothes away. They take turns with emptying garbage bags, they dust their rooms, make their beds, empty the dishwasher, help with dinner, etc. When things start to slide (messy rooms for example) then there is no tv, videogaming, IMing, etc. until homework is done and rooms are back up to par.

[lauren-roxy]

My kids are 7, 6, and 4 and they don't have assigned chores. They are expected to help out when asked though and they always do so.

[tndisneyfam]

My kids are very young 3 and 1. But, I am trying to teach DD who's 3, about picking up her toys and putting stuff away and it's a battle some days. I think when they get older we will do the you do chores, you get an allowance type deal. I hope you get some great ideas to help you! Good luck!


Darcie

[krisk11]

My dd is 11 and she helps out at home. She get's an allowance but it isn't for chores because my motto is, "I don't get paid to clean the house so neither do you". Her allowance is so I don't have to buy her everything she wants and to teach her about the importance of money. Things that she just had to have aren't as important when she has to spend her own money on them. Right now she has to take out all the trash & recyclables on Wed night & wheel the trash can down to the street. In June when she turns 12 the dinner dishes will also be her job. She also has to keep her room straight and put away her clean laundry (which is quite a job since she has about 8 times as many clothes than I do). From Sept to June she doesn't do as much because after school & while I'm making dinner she is doing homework but she is expected to do more on school holidays when she is stuck home all day and she will do the laundry and other jobs then. She also goes to hockey practice 3 to 4 nights a week. She does more in the summer too when home all day. I will offer extra jobs to work off debt if I bought her something she wants and then it takes some of my stuff off of me which is nice.

[disneyprincess]

Wow, these are really some good ideas. I tried the allowance thing and mostly it didn't work because we have one income and its every two weeks. I would mostly forget to give it to them. Also I really don't like the allowance for doing chores things. I feel more on the line of, you live here you need to be responsible and help out.

So to expand this further, if you do have any allowance (I may go back to it) how do you decide what the amount is for each child. For example I have a 14yr, 11, 8, 5. The oldest will hopefully be working this summer.

TIA