tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310549977743467565.post4238143304771447634..comments2023-10-15T00:34:28.064-07:00Comments on The Village: What Chores Can Kids Tackle?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310549977743467565.post-50665009737938142952011-02-12T22:10:25.301-08:002011-02-12T22:10:25.301-08:00Great ideas. I think it's important to tailor ...Great ideas. I think it's important to tailor them to your child. My son when he was a 4-5 year old was very capable at making his own bed without my help. Did I like how it ended up looking? Not really. He really likes to lay his blankets in a weird mosaic and his pillows were perpendicular to the bed. But...he was capable and now that he's 6 his bed making is starting to look more normal.<br /><br />On the other hand. I don't think he would be able to do half the chores listed in the 6-8 list.<br /><br />Other chores we like:<br /><br />Switching the clothes from the washer to the dryer. I pull the clothes out {that way I can check the things that need to air dry} and plop them on the floor. Both my boys are able to pick them up and put them in the dryer. I admit it is a little too easy for my 6 year old, but it is perfect for my 2 year old. <br /><br />Picking up the toys before I vacuum. My 6 year old is a pro at this. He clears the floor for me so I don't have to break my back doing it. This has another benefit of keeping my boys busy while I am doing my own chores. When my attention is else where, my kids tend to quarrel with each other. So if they are busy doing their chores while I am too, then they are too busy to fight...most of the time. :) And if they don't want to do it, then I "keep" whatever toy they don't pick up for a day. My 6 year old has lost his toys this way enough times that he knows I am not messing around and he does it without me even asking...I just have to turn on the vacuum and he knows. <br /><br />My 6 year old also will vacuum his own room. I am picky so I don't let him do the living room or a place I want clean to my standards. <br /><br />That is important for me personally. I am kind of a clean freak so in order to not want to step in and correct him thus crushing his budding self-esteem, I have to pick and choose. Sometimes I let the mirror go dirtier than I like and other times I just "don't go there." I instead choose something for him to do that I will be able to keep myself from fixing later. Like mop {when I pretty much do it every other day anyway so I don't stress about it too much}.<br /><br />Oh and The Fishes comment on child #2 getting out of chores. Amen. Mine seems like the master at taking advantage of the situation when everyone seems to busy to make sure he is on task too. I need some advice in that area pronto.Deliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00604718816962679886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310549977743467565.post-18831399686386003372011-02-08T08:21:29.982-08:002011-02-08T08:21:29.982-08:00I love this post! So good. I'm with Laura, c...I love this post! So good. I'm with Laura, consistency has taught my 4 year old a lot. She knows that we clean up all toys before nap time and that we clear our plates after dinner and we put our PJs away after we get dressed.... etc. She is an AWESOME helper now and since I'm 8 months pregnant has been invaluable helping me clean up toys and she gets out the broom for me and moves chairs around the kitchen so I can sweep. I started early with her and it's paid off. Hopefully her 2 year old brother will follow in her footsteps!!Tannie Datwylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09689578919728477769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310549977743467565.post-63600891549159497352011-02-08T07:21:05.759-08:002011-02-08T07:21:05.759-08:00I've done well with my oldest - he is an aweso...I've done well with my oldest - he is an awesome helper! Can clean his room on his own, without reminding even :) But my little 2 year old is a different story - she always has her older brother to do it for her, some of my other mom friends are finding the same problems with the second child - I try to be consistent, but any suggestions here? I think I just need to be a better teacher sometimes - maybe I just expect her to pick cleaning up the same as her older brother, hmmmmThe Fisher'shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139995457495291479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310549977743467565.post-82291521567906262142011-02-07T16:18:55.219-08:002011-02-07T16:18:55.219-08:00The thing that works well for my three-year-old (w...The thing that works well for my three-year-old (when I've got it together myself :P) is consistency. We clean the playroom before lunch. We pick up toys before we get different toys out. When we get dressed, pajamas get put away. After a handful of reminders and helps, my daughter will most often just do it herself without my even asking--yay!<br /><br />I also try to base her "chores" on what I've seen her do herself. If she can get the blankets in her doll's bed all straight, she can probably handle making her own bed with help. If she can get all the clothes out of the dresser, she can definitely put them all back in. :)<br /><br />So I guess I would say my two big things are consistency and cleaning up after yourself, whatever that may look like.Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18409642883194419597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310549977743467565.post-45233267808697993602011-02-07T12:50:00.625-08:002011-02-07T12:50:00.625-08:00The Parenting Break-Through by Merrilee Boyack has...The Parenting Break-Through by Merrilee Boyack has some GREAT tips on this topic. It's one of my favorite parenting books. <br /><br />One of the tips from her book that has always stuck with me is that a child usually needs help up to eight times after learning a new task. In other words, most of us probably give up too early when our kids don't seem to be mastering a new chore!<br /><br />She has an awesome schedule for what kids can do at every age (starting with three up through age 18). And I just like her approach, which is to get kids excited about the new things they get to learn. I know it has worked with my brood!Trish and Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11486236498836254927noreply@blogger.com