I’ve always been the type of person who believes in giving chores to kids–even kids as young as toddler-age.  See, I think that the earlier you start giving out chores, the better.  No, not because I like to enforce child labor, but because I think that any member of the household should at least try to contribute in some way to the upkeep of the household.

Plus, I know that toddlers are capable of helping with household duties.  How do I know?  Because I used to teach an entire classroom of toddlers in a preschool.  Yep, the classroom had 17 toddlers most days, with me and an assistant (if I was lucky, but that’s another story).  And, one of the activities that these kids liked the most was cleaning.  Not cleaning up toys, mind you–this was never a favorite.  But actual cleaning.  I would give each child a damp paper towel and off they would go to wipe down any surface that they wanted to wipe.

Let me tell you–the kids loved this activity.  The begged to do this activity.  So, this is how I know that toddlers are capable of helping with household duties.  If I could get a classroom of 17 toddlers to clean, then parents can get one or two (or more) young children to help out at home.  Of course, I later learned that kids don’t enjoy doing the same things at home that they do at school; in fact, it is often quite the opposite.  But, I still knew that they were capable of doing them.

So, fast-forward several years to when I had my own kids.  First of all, there was Tre, my stepson.  He cam into my life when he was age 5.  And, he was only living in our household part of the time.  So, his chores were not quite as organized as I would have liked.  Sometimes he did them, sometimes not–because sometimes he wasn’t there to do them.  Sometimes he wasn’t there to take out the trash on trash night, for example.  But, he helped out when he was there.

Now, when Damien and Xander grew up enough to begin helping out, I got them started on chores rather early.  We had chore charts and everything.  Of course, that sometimes didn’t work.  So, I would change the method we used for motivation and they would be more willing to help again.

Video games are the main motivator now.  That and sleepovers with friends.

So, just last week–over spring break, actually–I introduced a new chore for the boys.  This is in addition to their other chores.  This new chore is laundry.

Yes, my 5-year-old and 7-year-old are learning laundry.  They have to do something to help with laundry every day.  It may be gathering laundry ; carrying baskets up or down the stairs; folding, sorting, and putting laundry away; or, actually doing the wash.  Of course, for now, I have to help with the folding and sorting.  And I have to be there to instruct as the do the wash.  But, they are learning, and I estimate that by the middle of summer they will no longer need me to give them any guidelines.  By then, they will remember which laundry needs cold water and which needs hot as well as which needs dried on the low setting as opposed to the high setting.  And all of the rest of the laundry details.

Some people may think I’m expecting too much of young boys.  But I sure don’t.  In this household, you have to help out.  Period.  The boys also help out with the trash duties.  And, Xander keeps bottled water in the refrigerator, while Damien is responsible for keeping pop in there.  They both fix their own breakfasts and lunches at times.  They also help with various other things as asked, too.

Too much?  I don’t think so.  I think that kids should grow up learning how to be helpful and productive.  They should grow up learning how to take care of themselves.

What do you think?  What chores do your kids do?

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