Age Appropriate Chores And House Work, in your opinion what is enough Options

[depressed lonely...]

In your opinion what is a reasonable amout of house work for a child or tenager to do.
is it dependant on age and how much money there is in the family?
Do you think extra chores should result in extra pocket/spending money? And shoyld there be a base amount of household chores done by everyone which you don't get paid to do but which if you don't your pocket money should be docked?


all this is brought up by the fact that my siblings(age 10 and14) do no house hold chores don't go to school and don't have activitys or friends to visit, whereas my mother does house work in addition to going to work 1-3 days a week and I do alot (possibly more than mum cos I'm a neat freak) when I have TAFE 5 days a week.

To me it seem unfair that they sit around all day with nothing to do but sleep late eat and watch TV but they don't clean up the messes they make and they certainly don't do anything helpfull.

I consider this unreasonable and lazy.
My mother brings up the fact that they're only 10 and 14 but reality is I did more than kirk does at 10 than he does at 14.

I am as such trying to get an outside opinion on wheather expecting things like washing ,washing up, putting away, feeding the animals tidying comunal living areas assistance with preparing meals and cleaning their own rooms is too much to expect of people their age.

And if possible at what age you think a level of contribution is fair.

[Fallen Element]

Help with laundry, take dirty stuff to machine, hang out to dry, run to gather in if it start to rain!

I'm not the only one! My dad tells me all the time (when I'm home) that his God gave me to him so I could run for the damp washing... I suspect a hint of minty sarcasm!


I like LoLo's idea of getting them separate plates. It *should* make your siblings buck up their attitudes as well as making them feel a bit bad. You'll be ostricising them from the rest of the family - questions like "Why do I have to used different plates?" should appear and that is your perfect opportunity to give them a few home truths!

DLCP: My advices is to go cold turkey on them. I know it pi*ses you off (all the mess - not to mention their spoiltness) but be strong! Be Brave! Eat cookies to numb the messy pain!
May the Gods of strength and tidyness be with you!


Fal xXx

[Hobbes]

Much like SirPS, I was never made to do much in the way of household chores when I was younger. I was expected to clean my bedroom, and tidy up after myself, but that was about it. I rarely washed or dried up, except occasionally when my family tried a little chore-sharing system (which rewarded my sister and I for doing chores... and usually lasted all of three days).

I personally like things tidy and organised, and always have done, even though there were (and are) time that my bedroom is strewn with clothes, books, magazines and CDs. However, for some reason I always enjoyed tidying my bedroom. And it would always take me a day, because I insisted on reorganising all my books into a new order (alphabetical, or by size, or by subject, etc.), and then emptying all my drawers completely. But, by the end, the room would be spotless.

As I got a bit older I would sometimes wash my dad's car, or mow the lawn, or help with the cooking (if it was something interesting to "make", rather than just sticking something in the oven). And I often set the table prior to dinner. Like CheeseM, my family had dinner together at the dining room table almost every night. Some days the mood would take me to do dusting and vacuuming. But it was never expected of me and, often, I would be rewarded in some way (and I probably always knew I would be).

But despite my own miniscule amount of childhood labour , I do think that children should be taught to do a certain amount of unrewarded work at home - and more than I did! When/If I have my own children, I would certainly want to raise them in that way. I think doing so can help to bring up a well-rounded, selfless individual.



As a side note: I know a 13 year old girl who, through no real fault of her own (and mostly due to British schooling and LEAs), doesn't go to school at the moment. Her father works four days a week, and then has hundreds of other little jobs and tasks to do for most of the rest of the week too. Her mother hasn't been particularly well either, and so isn't often able to do household chores. Thus, this 13 year old girl does just about all the household tasks that are possible at home. From looking after a menagerie of animals, to vacuuming and dusting, to cooking and laundry, to looking after her three younger siblings. Yes, I think it is perhaps too much for a 13 year old to have to do. Some of the jobs she does is the way she earns her pocket money, others are expected and unrewarded. But... all in all (whether because of this responsibility or despite it, I don't know), she is perhaps one of the most mature, well-rounded, kindest, selfless and self-aware young girls I've ever known. So her parents have done something right with her.