When kids do chores, they’re learning responsibility

Children's Chores: Getting Help Around the House

webmd.com Life Apr - 12 - 2016 , 12:00

Children will do almost anything to get out of chores. Typical excuses run the gamut "from 'I’ve got a stomach ache,' to 'I’m a kid. I shouldn’t have to do chores,'" says Mason Turner, MD, chief of psychiatry at Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco Medical Center.

In fact, one survey found that 74% of parents report that their children rarely help with chores unless asked. And a full 50% of parents say they spend as much time arguing with their kids about chores as the children spend doing chores.

For many parents, it may seem easier to do the chores themselves. If you’re one of them, this article is for you. WebMD spoke with Turner and pediatrician James Sears, MD, for advice on how to get kids to do chores.

Use Chores to Teach Life Skills

"When kids do chores, they’re learning responsibility. They’re learning that life requires work," says James Sears, MD, co-author of Father’s First Steps: 25 Things Every Dad Should Know. For kids, chores are more than helping out; they are lessons in basic life skills. By loading the dishwasher, mowing the grass, or doing their laundry, "kids learn how the world works," Sears tells WebMD.

Make Chores Predictable

To take the sting out of chores, Turner suggests setting aside a time each week when the whole family does chores, Saturday morning from 8 to 9 for example. "Then you don’t get into battles about when chores get done." Having the whole family do chores at the same time also helps. "Your kid knows that every Saturday morning, this is what the family does," says Turner.

Assign Chores by Age

Tasks that are clearly over your child’s head will make chore time dreadful for everyone. The following suggestions can get you started on assigning age-appropriate chores. Then it’s your turn to get creative.

4 and 5 years old: Sort socks, put away toys, help set the table, stack magazines.

6 and 7 years old: Take the dog for a walk, empty the dishwasher, prepare lunch, make the bed.