Chore ideas

[xanthepants]

So Cosette has been wanting to be "helpful" a lot lately. I thought why not channel it into something more/teachable moment. We could incorporate save/donate/spend strategy with her.  What sort of $ would you do? an amount per week? per chore? What type of chores?

So far these are ones I think she could do.

    Help empty the dishwasher

    Help fold/put away her laundry

    Feed the ducks nightly

    pick up her playroom/toys in living room - once a week/nightly

    make her bed in morning on weekends

    help dust on weekends

    Help set and clear the table

I don't expect her to do all but maybe a handful of these a week and I could make some sort of chart for her.

Anyone else doing this or similar yet? I think its a good time to get started with responsibilities.

[britbratjf]

i think that's a good list! Clearing her plate at the table could also be another one. Maybe give a quarter a chore?

[starfishy]

I like those chores. I've been trying to do the same with Tommy.
He likes to help out away the groceries or do outside chores- picking up small branches, pulling weeds etc. we usually give him some coins to put in his piggy bank.
I would like to get more consistent though, so I will be following this.

[roo1582]

We have a chore chart we started a couple months ago. Right now she gets 5 cents each chore (because she really has no concept of money at this point). Each day we put a star on each chore she completes that day. At the end of the week, we count how many stars she has and then give her the money to put in her piggy bank (she's saving up for going to Disney).

Right now her list of chores are:
Make her bed
Feed the dog
Set the table
Clear her dinner plate
Pick up her toys
Help with the garbage
Help Mommy or Daddy clean (ex: dusting, sweeping)

[jennmm]

The favorite thing Anna likes to do is help feed the dogs. She also does other things on that list as well. Seems like a pretty good start.

[bliz1712]

Here are some things we've done, but not necessarily as a weekly chore. Just a way for her to be helpful.

-water plants
-bring me bathroom and her garbage to dump
-feed dog
-laundry, either putting away or matching outfits/socks so I can fold.
-pull weeds - she actually enjoys this and is really good at it.

[cbear]

Elise also likes to feed the dog and we make her put her plate in the sink every night, maybe I'm mean but I don't see the later as a chore. Just something that you need to do kwim?

I am going to start having her take the small bathroom garbages out and put them in the main can and put new bags in the bathroom cans. I like a lot of your list too! She is obsessed with getting money for her piggy bank so I need to get on that lol!

[xanthepants]

Thanks for your thoughts. I agree there are things that are just a given that are not necessarily chores but just should dos. And then there are chores.
I want to make a fun chart or something to keep it cutsie for now. And I want to drive home the Donate/for others portion of it since we aren't receiving that message outside the home necessarily.

[summergirl1211]

We haven't done anything with a chart yet, but we do have Riley help out with feeding the dog, setting the table, putting laundry away, and pulling weeds. At some point we'll probably start a weekly allowance so she can start learning the "saving versus spending" concept, but at this point I don't really like the idea of having to reward each activity with money. Maybe do a set list of things that are expected each week and then if they go above and beyond (special projects, etc.) then get paid for that?

[tribute17]

I think at this age everything should be rewarded, not necessarily with money but something. Get the idea in their heads that good deeds get rewarded. As they get older I will stop making such a big deal out of the things they are supposed to do and add other things like cutting the grass etc. The "do it because you are supposed to" doesn't mean a lot to them right now and I see nothing wrong with rewarding. I clean my house because it is rewarding to me. I do laundry because I'm rewarded with clean clothes. They can't see that quite yet.

And I think a hug and "way to go" go a long way and count as a reward. It doesn't have to be money.

Sorry that got long. I would put almost everything in the chart and at least get a sticker.

[trixi282]

Currently J helps with a few things;
loading/unloading the dishwasher
Wiping the kitchen table
Wiping the bathroom counters
Putting recycling in the bin in the garage (which she loves doing)
Cleaning the toilets (which she also loves, weirdo)
And picking up her toys, and things.

She also likes helping H put clothes in the washer/dryer.

And she's expected to put her dishes on the counter or in the sink after meals.

All of these things we do together typically and she is always praised and thanked for helping and doing a good job. But I don't do anything more right now. She also doesn't necessarily have things expected to be done each week or anything. We just do things as we go....

I never got allowance really a kid. We did for a short time, but it quickly turned back into you will get some money to do fun things as long as your chores are done.

But wasn't a "get rewarded" fit doing your chores either. We just did what we were asked.... Not always the best way to do it, but we're still figuring out what to do. Picking up toys should be done regardless. But we do give her change randomly... Maybe we can incorporate something to help her learn more?!

[jennmm]

Aug 22, 2016 10:26:46 GMT -5 summergirl1211 said:

We haven't done anything with a chart yet, but we do have Riley help out with feeding the dog, setting the table, putting laundry away, and pulling weeds. At some point we'll probably start a weekly allowance so she can start learning the "saving versus spending" concept, but at this point I don't really like the idea of having to reward each activity with money. Maybe do a set list of things that are expected each week and then if they go above and beyond (special projects, etc.) then get paid for that?

This is kind of what we do.  No real allowance but if they do extra or special, they get a little something. Ethan has certain things he's expected to do daily or weekly. We get Anna to help out where she can.

[mommymadness]

Melissa and Doug have a nice magnetic chore chart with lots of magnets to add for doing chores. We won one at a nursery school dance we went to a couple years ago, which reminded me we have it and I should dig it out! Lol