Dirty dishes. Messy bedrooms. Toys on the living room floor. Some days, there just isn’t a good way to avoid the chore wars. But there is always tomorrow, and you can be proactive. Ask yourself, What chores are important for my children to learn, and what are they capable of doing? Then, check out this list of age-appropriate chores for kids will help you to discover the answers to those questions.
https://youtu.be/LlKC4E2NIN0
Get Your Copy of Avoiding The Chore Wars Now!
As you view this list of chores for kids by age, remember that every child matures at a different pace. Adjust the chores you select for your kids to what you know about your children’s skills and talents. Realize that no child should do all of the chores listed below every day. Remember the importance of recognizing the difference between a chore (an ongoing task that benefits the household) and a life skill (an activity that children should know how to do before living on their own, such as handling money).
The following list of age-appropriate chores is only meant as a guide and reflects the types of chores that many children in specific age ranges are capable of completing. And we’ve included resources from some of these chores that offer hands-on, practical ways to train your children to do them. Hopefully, approaching chores for kids in a thoughtful and intentional way will help your children succeed in personal and family responsibility:
You will need to have psychological flexibility to be content with imperfections as your children learn to manage daily responsibilities.
You get to set up structure in your home as your children learn to work and enjoy work. Interestingly, a commitment to consistently doing chores and navigating responsibility together yields peace and connectedness for your whole family.
Get Your Copy of Avoiding The Chore Wars Now!
Our guests offer parents practical advice on teaching children responsibility by giving them age-appropriate chores.
Your children will most likely argue and imperfectly complete their chores. You can bridge these moments of failure by communicating and extending grace and forgiveness along the way. As you model this, you ease the tension that can come from chores.
Through a proper view of gratitude, you and your family can achieve a healthy perspective of chores. When you value gratitude, you bring a heart of service, a flexible mind, and a calming presence. Through your example, your kids have a better chance of cultivating gratitude in their own perspectives.
Get Your Copy of Avoiding The Chore Wars Now!
Is it appropriate to pay our school-aged children for doing household tasks? When I was growing up I always received an allowance, but my spouse says that kids need to work without being paid because that’s part of being a family. What do you think?
Read More
Family Q&A
You get to set the tone for respect as a core ingredient to serving through chores. Chores are about respecting others and your family’s space. Ask yourself: do you model bringing life-giving words and life-giving actions to your home? Encourage one another as you conquer a home that naturally goes into chaos and disorder when everyone has so many competing demands and distractions.
Get Your Copy of Avoiding The Chore Wars Now!
As parents, you set up opportunities for your kids to serve and mature. Chores require guidance, follow through, and organization. You can help shape your child’s heart toward humility and responsibility, regardless of their personality. Some kids will be more difficult than others, but you can set up daily and weekly chores that are opportunities to serve one another.
When there are emotional outbursts and tantrums, that’s when your children need your “A” game love. This is an opportunity to love your children by adapting to their interpretations or frustrations so you can guide their understanding of responsibility.
Get Your Copy of Avoiding The Chore Wars Now!
How can I motivate my two lazy teenagers? They won’t help me around the house, and they consistently wait until the last minute to do their homework. As a single parent, I usually don’t have the energy to make them get down to work. Is there a way to break this negative pattern?
Read More
Family Q&A
© 2009, 2019 Focus on the Family. All rights reserved.
This is the preview of the “Article Permissions & Copyright” View.
Sheila Seifert is the editorial director of Focus on the Family magazine, the author of over 20 books and the founder of Simple Literature.
This is the preview of the “Article Contributor Short Bio” View.
