Here is a list showing how I break down the household chores. Organization is essential in effectively maintaining your household. If you develop a plan and stick to your schedule, it will prevent the work from building up too much. If you do a little each day, you will not become overwhelmed and frustrated.
Note from Tawra: this was written when I just had 2 younger kids ages 2 and 3.
You will note that I have included a list of mandatory chores for my three year old son. It is important that children have ever increasing responsibilities in the household. This teaches them skills that they need to become more independent and builds their self esteem through learning to achieve new tasks.
Though I have not devised an official chore list for our two year old daughter, we find that she whines and complains less overall when we also give her household tasks.
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Daily Chores (Things I do every day)
* Brush kids’ teeth (under 4 yrs)
* Dress kids (under 4 yrs)
* Make beds
* Clear table- my kids help
* Start dinner in the morning
* Do dishes after every meal
* Sweep kitchen floor
* Vacuum under table
* Pick up family room
Day Specific Chores
Monday
* Laundry
* Clean bathroom
* Microwave
* Kitchen sink
* Clean counters and canisters
* Refrigerator
* Mop kitchen floor
Tuesday
* Iron
* Paperwork
* One or two monthly chores
Wednesday
* Laundry
* Wash sheets
* Dust kids bedrooms, office and playroom
Thursday
* Dust mud-rooms
* Sweep mud-rooms
* One monthly chore
* One semi-annual chore
Friday
* Laundry
* Clean bathroom
* Dust living room
* Dust bedroom
* Clean trash can
* Vacuum house
Saturday
* Shopping
Sunday
* Rest! ;-)
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Monthly
* Organize closets- One or two a week
* Organize pantry
* Straighten closets
* Straighten shelves
* Straighten drawers
* Wash fronts of kitchen cabinets
Semi-Annually
* Wash windows
* Vacuum and dust pictures
* Dust blinds
* Straighten and dust bathroom shelves
* Straighten and dust utility room shelves
* Remove cobwebs
My Kids’ Chores
Daily
* Dress
* Put PJ’s or laundry away
* Wash face
* Comb hair
* Make bed
* Pick up bedroom
* Help clear table
* Unload Dishwasher
* Empty Trash
* Pick up toys
* Brush teeth
* Put on PJ’s
Weekly
* Help empty all trash cans in the house.
For lots more helpful tips and examples of how to organize your kids, how to get kids to help and how to teach them about money and practical living skills, check out our Saving With Kids e-books.
Photo By: it.activecentre
My 4 children are grown and married and they still get along very well. I would suggest that if the kids argue when doing the dishes, then have them take different nights that they do the dishes alone. Somehow they may see that working together is easier and more fun than doing it by themselves. The old saying “many hands make light work” is so true.
A really useful plan. Thank you very much.
When my three were school age, and the table needed for homework after dinner, they efficiently rotated, setting, clearing and washing up. Much as they enjoyed Ian’s Famous Spaghetti Bolognese, nobody wanted to be on washing up that evening.