Chores for Kids

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, children who do chores may exhibit higher self-esteem, are more responsible, and better equipped to deal with frustration, adversity, and delayed gratification. These skills can lead to greater success in school, work, and relationships.

There are many benefits of getting kids to do chores. Here are some of them:

Responsibility

When you let kids do chores, you are teaching them to be more responsible and you give them a sense of ownership. They’ll be responsible for the tasks they do. It’s a great feeling as it helps kids understand more about taking responsibility for small tasks when they are younger and bigger tasks when they get older. Research from a 75-year Harvard study found that children who were given chores became more independent adults (source).

Creates a Strong Family Bond

When kids participate in the house chores, it can help create a strong family bond. It’s a chance to spend time together and more importantly to work together as a team. You can even have fun while doing chores with the kids.

For example, you can have a fun competition when folding the laundry. Whoever folds their pile first wins! Next time you and the kids might even look forward to laundry day.

Make Kids Feel Needed

Everyone wants to feel needed. When children know they are responsible for certain chores, they feel like they are making a contribution and are needed.

Teach Valuable Life Skills

If you let kids help you with the grocery shopping, then you have an opportunity to teach them valuable life lessons. Your child can learn how to budget and manage a household efficiently just by observing you. You can ask them to choose specific items and explain how you select each item.

For example, when you go grocery shopping, explain to your kids about coupons, money-saving deals, how to make healthy food choices, etc. When they grow up, they will be better equipped to make good choices themselves, run a home efficiently and stick to a budget.

Time Management Skills

By letting kids participate in the house chores, you are also teaching them time management skills. Your kids can learn the importance of time and how to manage their time.

For example, if you have teenage kids, they need to study and complete their school work. If they are assigned house chores, they will need to manage their time in such a way that they finish all tasks on time. This will help them when they go to college or enter the workplace and find themselves overwhelmed. They will be better equipped to manage their time and get more done when time is limited.

Understand the Value of Money

I believe in paid chores. My kids each get chores that they have to do and are not paid for. In addition to those chores, and only once they complete their free chores they can do paid chores. The money they make from paid chores helps them buy themselves the things that they want. More importantly, it helps them understand the value of money. When I buy something for my child, he never appreciates it as much as when he buys it himself. He also understands that money doesn’t grow on trees, as he now realizes how hard he works for money. He didn’t really get that before he understood how long you have to work to earn money.

Good Habits, Discipline, and Respect

Letting the kids do the house chores can teach them good habits, discipline, and respect. Your kids will understand the value of hard work. When your kids see you doing everything by yourself, they find it hard to understand how hard you work. As soon as they take part they get a better understanding of the hard work that goes into running a home. Tidying up after themselves is an important habit to acquire and chores like that will greatly benefit kids.

Mistakes to Avoid When Getting Kids to do Chores

Don’t start too late

Don’t wait until your kids are old to start giving them chores. The earlier you start, the easier it is to form the habit. See a list of age-appropriate chores for kids of all ages above.

Don’t be inconsistent

This is the most important thing when it comes to chores. If you want children to do chores, you need to be consistent. Track their chores every day else they will stop doing them and it will be hard to get back into the habit. A chore chart for kids is a great way to track their chores.

Don’t do their chores for them

Many parents do their children’s chores for them. Sometimes it takes less time to do something than to nag your child to do it. When you show your child how to do a chore, it is often quicker to just do it yourself. Don’t be tempted to do that. Think of it as an investment in your future. Take the time to show them how to do a chore, even if it takes longer than it would take you to do it yourself. You are giving them a skill for life and showing them that they are capable.

Don’t expect them to know how to do everything

Show them how you expect them to do the house chores. There might be things that seem obvious to you, but your child might not know how to do them.

Don’t expect perfection

Children might not do certain household chores as well as you would. Accept that and don’t be tempted to do their chores for them. It’s a process and you need patience in the beginning.

Should Kids Get Paid for Chores?

Against paying kids for chores

Some people are very against kids getting paid for chores and believe that they should do all chores without any compensation. After all, nobody pays us to do chores. Their needs are taken care of and they are part of the family.

For paying kids for chores

Other people believe that kids should be paid for some chores or that their allowance should be tied to their chores.

I believe that kids should get paid for chores but only for chores over and above their daily responsibilities. I think every child should have a chore list that they have to complete. In addition to these chores, and only after they complete them, there should be additional optional chores for which they get paid.

When kids get paid for chores, they learn so much about responsibility, the value of money, and money management skills. They feel independent and grown up.

I noticed such a positive change in my child when he started getting paid for chores. He suddenly became more aware of the value of money and started wasting a lot less. Even when I was paying for things, he didn’t ask for as much as he did before.

I think that paid chores are a great way to help kids set goals. For example, you can help them set a goal to save $x. They should decide how much they want to save and what they are saving for. You can then give them a list of paid chores that they can do over time to achieve this goal. Each time they complete a paid chore, you mark it on the chart. When they reach their goal, you give them the entire sum they earned. This will teach them how to set goals and reach them. It will show them how hard work over time pays off. It’s a great lesson to learn as a child and one that will help them throughout life.

Chores for kids to earn money

Chores for kids to earn money should be:

in addition to their regular chores for which they are not paid
completed only after their regular chores

Chores for Money Template

Here is a chore checklist for chores for money. It will help you keep track of how much your child has earned.

This is a printable chore chart with money earned for some chores. The money they earn for their chores can be their allowance (if you are tying it to their chores) or payment.