Kids and Chores

Do you wish your house were cleaner?  Do you wish you could teach your kids to be more responsible?  Do you wish you could spend less time on house cleaning?  I know I do, and I think one of the most under-used resources in home keeping is our children.  Since we all live here and all are blessed by a clean, organized home, we all share in the responsibilities of home keeping, each according to their ability.

It's that time of the year again, right after school is out, when I work up new chore schedules for my kids.  Summer is a great time to teach kids new skills, and house cleaning is no exception.  Then, when school starts again, a good routine is already in place.  It's good to change around chores, so they don't have to keep doing the same chores year after year.  I also think that chores teach a great habit of responsibility that will (hopefully) last them a lifetime.

Here are the chore lists we worked up this year.

Daily Chores - everyone

(Mostly this is just cleaning up after yourself!)

Make Bed

Put away dirty clothes

Put away shoes when they come off

Fold and put away your own clean laundry (oldest 2 kids)

Put your own dirty dishes in the dishwasher, and clear your place

Put away all your toys and things (that have migrated throughout the house) at the end of the day

Chores for 10 year-old son

Monday - Collect trash from wastebaskets and put into the garage bin (not kitchen garbage)

Tuesday - Wipe out the microwave & clean front

Wednesday - Clean bathroom downstairs toilet

Thursday - Clean master bathroom toilet

Friday - Clean kids bathroom mirror (He's the only one tall enough!)

Saturday &  Sunday - none

Chores for 7 year-old-daughter

Monday - Vacuum the stairs with hand vac

Tuesday - Sweep the garage

Wednesday - Wipe down the sinks and counter in the kids' bathroom

Thursday - Clean the kids' bathroom toilet

Friday - Dust the downstairs rooms

Saturday &  Sunday - none

Chores for 4 year-old-daughter (She loves to feel big & important by having chores!)

Monday - change the drinking cups in the bathrooms

Tuesday - Windex the TV screen

Wednesday - Wipe the fingerprints off kitchen windows

Thursday - Wipe fronts of stove and dishwasher

Friday - Wipe down the outside of the kitchen trash can

Saturday &  Sunday - none

What chores do your kids have?