I think that it is essential and necessary for children to have chores and learn responsibility from an early age on. My children start doing stuff on their own once they can walk. I know this might sound mean or like I'm not wanting to do my own work around the house and farm, but honestly I have a hard time giving over some chores. I'm a bit of a perfectionist in how somethings are done. . . .
Okay, so what can a child between the ages of 1 and 2 do? Well here is what we do at our house! As soon as they are good at walking, ie not falling down every few steps, they get to start taking their dirty dishes to the kitchen. Once they can reach the counter they also get to put them up on the counter. They also can take their own dirty clothes to the hamper and start to learn how to make their beds. My two 2 year olds help to match socks. They also help fold washcloths and hand towels.
 |
| My youngest makes her own bed! |
Here is a current list of chores that my children do:
make their own beds
clean up their rooms(pick up the floor, sweep the floor)
keep their books cleaned up
keep their toys picked up
match socks
fold washrags, handtowels, and towels
fold their own shirts and underwear/panties
put their own clothes away(even littles can do this)
make sure their dirty clothes get in the hamper
take the hampers downstairs
sort out the dirty clothes(whites, coloreds, jeans, etc)
feed and water the inside dog and cat
water our outside animals-this is something my seven year old just started doing
take scraps out to the chickens
feed the chickens
feed and water the outside dogs and cats
gather chicken eggs
load the dishwasher
empty the dishwasher and put away dishes(this requires help putting things in the upper cabinets still)
taking their own dirty dishes to the kitchen
Now, not every child does everything on this list, but all of the children do have chores or things that they are responsible for.
This is all I can think of right now, but my children do have several chores that they do. But really it's not that much. It takes them maybe an hour a day to get their chores done. They also have the responsibility of doing their school work. I see my children as learning from their chores. Really they are. They're learning responsibility. They're learning what is required of them. And they are learning to have fun while doing things that others might consider "work".
For an example of how my children find fun in their chores take a peak at their sock matching game!
Pin It Now!
