After talking and lamenting to so many of my friends about how hard it is to figure out good chores for city kids, I've decided to start a little chore list on my blog.
I want my boys to have just as many opportunities for hard physical labor and the responsibility of chores as those out in the country, but we live in a suburb of a major metropolitan area on a small neighborhood plot and the only animal we care for is a Calico Ninja Kitty.
So I've had to be creative.
And consistent (which is SO HARD!)
And we've come up with a pretty good list of chores for the boys since they were about 3 yrs old. I hope to compile a whole list of chores and make an e-book some day, but until then I'll put some thoughts here for those of you who are also struggling with making a good list of chores.
I'll start with my youngest, my 8 yr old. He does all these chores (and more) either weekly or daily, and does a good job of them (when he's in the mood. When he isn't, it's all very sad for him--more on that later).
-Make bed
-brush teeth
-pick up bathroom items and put away (his toothbrush, toothpaste tube, any dirty clothes)
-do his own laundry once a week. Wash, dry, fold, and put away. Amen.
-change hand towels in both bathrooms
-feed the cat
-scoop out the cat box and sweep up
-vacuum
-sweep (we're still working on perfecting this one)
-scoop out ashes from fireplace
-bring in wood
-pack his own lunch
-sweep front porch
-rake up leaves/pine needles
-pull weeds
-dust
-load and unload dishwasher and put away dishes
-wipe off table
-push in chairs
-set and clear table
These are most of them. There are more that he CAN do, but we like to share the load around here. Later this week I'll give you a list of chores for older and younger kids too.
I think chores are so important to growing up healthy, strong, diligent, capable, and are vital to know really HOW to function as an adult.
Chores require attention to detail, effort, following directions, and focus.
In fact, I would even be willing to bet that a child who has been taught to do chores diligently and correctly (and regularly checked up on to be sure they ARE done right) learns just as much or more as a child who spends hours and hours a week at team sports practice! *gasp!*
I know, I'll probably get shot down in a blaze for that comment!
LOL
Ha-you're jumping the gun on my next post....
ReplyDeleteYou won't be shot down.
You just gained a TRUE kindred spirit :)