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Angi
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| Posted: Jan 26 2009 at 9:05pm | IP Logged
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Please help me figure out what chores my children should be learning at their ages.
MaryRose is 7
Rita is 5
Cecilia and Anastasia are 3 1/2
They sometimes clear the table and sometimes fold washclothes. I need ideas on what to teach them.
Please. :)
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Sarah M
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| Posted: Jan 26 2009 at 9:34pm | IP Logged
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Well, mine are 7, 5, and 3, so let me tell you what mine do. They don't do these all on the same day, of course. My 7yo has 2 assigned chores each morning, and 2 after-dinner chores (relating to dinner clean-up). My 5yo has 1 assigned chore each morning, and 2 after-dinner. My 3yo gets away with murder  - he's the baby of the family and is spoiled rotten, apparently!  No chores yet for him except he's working on personal grooming skills- like getting dressed on his own, brushing teeth properly, that kind of thing.
My 7 yo:
sorts laundry
wipes down the sink/toilet in the bathroom
takes out the trash
sweeps her bedroom (and sometimes the kitchen floor- though she still needs help with this)
makes her bed
sets the dinner table
clears and wipes down the dinner table
waters plants & polishes their leaves
tidies up her bedroom
dusts
My 5yo:
sorts laundry
wipes down the sink/toilet in the bathroom
makes her bed (not well, I admit- but at least she does it)
sets the dinner table
clears and wipes the dinner table
waters plants & polishes their leaves
tidies up her bedroom (again, not well- but we're working on it)
dusts
Some of the best advice I was given is "expect to inspect." Teach them how to do the chore (which takes time and energy on my part), then let them do it, but always inspect it to make sure it is done well. My 5yo is especially....how do I say it.....laid back. Most of her work is not done as neatly as I'd like. I try to bring her back to it and gently guide her through it, though I admit that sometimes I just let it go. 
Candace (from this forum) encouraged me several months ago to get my girls helping out more, and it's been a real help!
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Sarah M
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| Posted: Jan 26 2009 at 9:36pm | IP Logged
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One more quick thought: it might be helpful if you just introduce one new chore each week. That way, you will have the time to teach it to them well, and they won't feel overwhelmed. It probably works best if things are introduced slowly but well. I think I may have rushed my 5yo into things too quickly, which may account for her sloppy work.
Hope that helps, Angi!
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Syncletica
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| Posted: Jan 26 2009 at 11:17pm | IP Logged
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My almost 8 year old is responsible for cleaning their bathroom daily. A tidy in the morning; mirror wipe, faucet, sink, counter and toilet wipe down, toys tidied, shower curtain closed, towels straightened in the evening.
She sweeps after supper.
My 6 year old son now has the daily chore of using a little Shark dust buster vacuum to clean the steps and landing.
Everyone helps to fold clothes, and put them away, except the 1 year old. (Mine are aged almost 8, 6,4,3 and 1.)However, even the 1 year old is helping by carrying things to the right spots with someone's help.
Our main cleaning day is Friday. I vacuum, they tidy the toys and clothes and pick things up off the floor. Sometimes the 8 year old will do all the sweeping and mopping. I have little mops as well, and sometimes they all get a chance to mop. (We sometimes use the mops to get stains off the walls, too.)
They all help with dusting and cleaning glass.
I used to get them wiping down the fronts of appliances and cupboard doors. All the doorknobs of the house as well.
I've read that a 4 year old can be taught to wash dishes properly.
After brkfst, my 6 year old dries the dishes while we do our Saxon "math meeting" where I ask him all his counting sequences, dates, months, etc.
I also get my 7 year old to start a washload of clothes sometimes. She will also switch loads to the dryer. They can all bring a load up from the dryer (except 1 year old).
Organizing their drawers (with some help if needed.)
Cleaning their toys?
Vacuuming out the couch and chairs?
Sometimes they'll help when I steamclean the couch or mattresses. My 6 and 4 year olds will rinse out the Little Green machine by spraying clean water into the toilet after we're done cleaning.
Spot cleaning the floors in between Fridays. (doesn't happen too often anymore, though)
Some ideas, anyway... 
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Angi
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| Posted: Jan 27 2009 at 4:57pm | IP Logged
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Thanks everyone!
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dawn2006
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| Posted: Jan 27 2009 at 11:34pm | IP Logged
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My kids are about those ages and for real cleaning I still do just about everything alongside of them. For little jobs like "take this over there" or "go get this for me" I just ask whoever is nearest.
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Dawn Farias | wife to Ariel | mom to Gabriel 9, Daniel 7, Elizabeth 5, and Michael 3 | blogger at Be Absorbed | native Texan but currently living near Seattle
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dawn2006
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| Posted: Jan 27 2009 at 11:35pm | IP Logged
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Oh sorry...you specifically asked for ideas on what to teach them. I didn't really help with that! LOL!
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Dawn Farias | wife to Ariel | mom to Gabriel 9, Daniel 7, Elizabeth 5, and Michael 3 | blogger at Be Absorbed | native Texan but currently living near Seattle
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monique
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| Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 9:03am | IP Logged
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My 7 yo takes the laundry downstairs, picks up the living room at night, and wipes the table off. He is also expected to pick up his dirty clothes everyday and put them in the laundry bags.
We also do once a week chores and he either picks up the toy room in the basement or the boys' room. He also mops the bathroom floor. He needs quite a bit of assistance with this chore.
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Monique
mom to 5
Raising Saints
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Lori
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| Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 12:49pm | IP Logged
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My 10 yr old does a daily clean in the kids' bathroom (all but the toilet/tub scrub), scoops after the cat, mops the downstairs once a week, washes the downstairs windows once a week, and takes the trash out to the bin when needed.
My 7 yr old unloads the "plastic" and silverware from the dishwasher, scoops after the dog, and collects trash from around the house.
My 6 yr old feeds the dog, brings the dirty laundry down from their hamper every night, and sets the table.
My 5 yr old folds towels and dishcloths, matches socks from the laundr, and feeds the cat.
They are all responsible for making their beds each day (with varying degrees of success! :-)
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Milehimama
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| Posted: Jan 29 2009 at 8:02pm | IP Logged
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We have a rotating list of chores that the kids do (age 6 - 10). I have four children over the age of 6, and an almost 4, 3 yo, and almost 2 yo.)
We have room chores, table chores, trash chores, and misc. chores.
[U}Room chores:
School Room (put away stray supplies, clear floor so Mom can vacuum, resort crayons and markers, etc.
Living room: pick up trash, put dirty clothes in hamper, put away toys, books, vacuum.
Play Room Monitor: In charge of cleaning up the playroom. It's laid out Montessori style (even though they aren't classic works). Also *supposed* to direct the littles to put away chores (we're working on gentle instruction, not yelling at the babies to hurry up/sibling patience). Vacuum.
Hallway and stairs: Put away toys, keep 'em clear, etc.
The 22 month old is the best playroom toy putter-awayer you ever saw!
Table Chores (done after meals):
Clear table is the 4 yo's permanent job, doesn't rotate.
Put away food
Wipe table and chairs
Sweep (6 yo isn't on the rotation for this, he can't quite handle the broom)
Unload the dishwasher
Trash chores
Each month, my 9 and 10 yo boys switch. One empties the kitchen trash and puts it in the trash can; one drags the can to the curb on trash days and puts it back in the garage.
The 4, 6, and 8 yo each have a bathroom that they are *supposed* to empty the trash (I help the 4 yo). We have 3 bathrooms (Hallelujah!)
[Misc Chores]
Dinner helper
Lunch helper (trying to spend one on one time with kids, and teach them to cook.)
Pick up clothes in closet and put in hamper (yes, everyone is supposed to do it themselves, but doesn't always happen, esp. for the littles!)
Also, my 4 yo LOVES to help with the laundry. If I'm folding clothes she'll drop what she's doing and come find me to help!
The 22 month old puts away and carries things to the trash quite well. He also insists on wiping when he sees me doing the cabinets or swiping fingerprints. I usually give him a baby wipe to help.
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Milehimama in Houston
Mother of 11 - 8 Church Militant and 3 Church Triumphant
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Milehimama
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| Posted: Jan 29 2009 at 8:04pm | IP Logged
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Oh, and Dinner Helper has to peel the potatoes and carrots. I got the OXO peeler made for people with arthritis (very chunky handly) and even the 3 yo knows how to peel a carrot! (It's a favorite snack around here.) Age 6 and up peel potatoes, cukes, etc. as needed.
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Milehimama in Houston
Mother of 11 - 8 Church Militant and 3 Church Triumphant
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graciefaith
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| Posted: Jan 30 2009 at 3:10pm | IP Logged
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Dd's are 6yo and 7yo. I have a small poster board in each room that tells them what they are supposed to do. I found that when they worked together, not much got done. They were too busy playing. So, I split them up. One day, dd1 gets the bedroom and living room and dd2 gets the kitchen and bathroom and then they switch. It works out a lot better this way.
Kitchen:
Put away food
put dirty dishes away
wipe counter
sweep floor
clean up papers and/or arts and craft supplies
Living room:
pick up toys
throw away trash
vacuum
fold blankets
put away books
Bedroom:
make bed
pick up trash
put away dirty clothes
put away clean clothes
pick up toys
close closet door
Bathroom:
Clean up vanity
wipe sink area
pick up trash
close shower curtain and closet
hang wet towels
wipe bathtub down(which i will teach them tomorrow)
**they also fold and put away their own clothes.
They help in other ways too that are not listed on the poster board. Sometimes they unload the dishwasher but b/c they cant reach the cupboards, they just pile it on the counter. They help when we've gone grocery shopping. They put bring in the bags and put away the food. Dd1, who is more organizer, will reorganize the cupboard sometimes.
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Blessed wife and mom of 3 girls, Sept. '01, Dec. '02 and Oct. '07
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Chores?
