5 Yr Old and Chores

My 5 year old loves to water the plants and clean toliets (why she decided one day she liked, I have no clue). She also has takenit on herself to clean the mirrors in the bath room and fold laundry. Before assigning chores I am taking this time to see what she likes to do, and I am working on doing them correctly. Picking up the room right now is the big challenge for my crafty painting and paper cutting child. We tiddy the house when we work, chores never sound fun.

We have 4 kids: 5, 4, 2, and 1, and the 3 oldest all have chores that they do. They are responsible for picking up the main area of the house very day, and a final cleanup before bedtime. They also empty the dishwasher for me, the 2 year old puts the silverware away, and my 4 and 5 year old put all the plastic stuff away and the breakable stuff on the counter for me to put up. The oldest 2 rinse and put the dishes into the dishwasher.

I sort their laundry into their own piles, and they fold and put it away(I help my 2 year old to fold hers). Sometimes they help with towels/sheets, but I like the way I fold them better. :-)

We have 2 bathrooms, so the 5 and 4 year old each have their own bathroom that they clean once a week. I usually have to help them get the mirror streak-free.

They are responsible for letting our animals(2 cats, 1 dog) in and out of the house as needed, and also for feeding/watering them.

They also are responsible for cleaning their rooms. I am the worst about making them do this daily, usually I procrastinate and make them do it every 3-4 days which makes it much more of a chore.

They all help to bring the groceries in from the car, and my 4 year old LOVES to help me put them away. My girls, the 2 and 4 year old help me cook, too.

We don't give them any allowence for these chores, they are just expected to help with the family. I think that whem my oldest turns 6 we might start an allowence for him, but I don't know yet. More thought must be put into that.
Good luck!

My 5 yr old can help me set the table for dinner or gather simple things while I cook. He takes his clothes from his laundry basket to the laundry room for washing. He also can hang up his clothes. He needs lots of direction on cleaning his room. Since we have a baby on the way we have been trying harder at enforcing chores.

My 2, 4 & just now 6yr olds clean their room (They make their beds and know where their toys, shoes, clothes and the trash all go...he 2yr old's the only one that needs help), help with dinner and setting the table, put the dirty clothes up, help sort laundry from time to time and put clothes in the dryer. My oldest son gave our dog food and water every day when he was 3 & 4, but we've taken over that job for the past year (we moved and the set up isn't as easy for him), but he's going to start that chore back up again. We also have them help us pick up around the house when we do big clean ups. They put up their own toys, and they get jobs like washing the walls, cleaning cabinets, dusting, etc when company is coming or when it's just time to do major house cleanings. They also help with the baby. My 6 year old (started when he was 5) watches the baby for me while I take a shower and gets her what she needs/wants and keeps her from fussing. My 4 & 6yr olds also help some with diaper changes. They took a sibling class and learned how to change diapers, so they change diapers every now and then if it's just wet and we're in a big hurry and I have too many things to do. I usually have to refasten the velcro, but they do a great job otherwise. My children get rewarded weekly - small change - only for cleaning their rooms and big day cleanings, but they don't get any rewards or compensation other than hugs and kisses just for helping me out (like with the baby or cooking, we tell them that's just what has to be done for a happy, loving, well-functioning family). If they don't do their chores, they don't get rewarded, and we give the reward to the brother(s) that do the work for him (plus a little extra for doing extra work). They also help with unloading the dishes sometimes, but I think we're going to make that a daily chore for them very soon.

Oh, also, when we go shopping, the 6yr old unloads the groceries, etc, from the car, the 4yr old unpacks and puts away everything except the fridge stuff, and the 2yr old puts away the fridge stuff (with direction to where it goes...only the 2yr old now, though)...this has no reward, either, because it's just something that just has to get done, and they've never acted like it was a chore but just something that's automatically done when we get home). And, they pick up sticks, rocks, etc outside before Daddy mows the grass (without any kind of pay, but they get rewarded with special outside activities afterwards like pool time in the summer, moonbounce time, painting rocks or windows, just anything that is stuff that has to be done outside that they don't get to do very often).

This might seem too much to some and not enough to others, but it works well for our family. I don't expect any of it to be done quickly or perfectly, just what's appropriate for them (not a specific age level, but each of them personally). Most of the stuff, other than cleaning up their room and toys and backyard, are things that they love doing and do well, that's how they became their chores. That's why my 4yr old unpacks the groceries while all my 6yr old does is help unload them, because my 6yr old hates unpacking and my 4yr old loves it and loves putting things "in their place". My 2yr old likes to act big and always begs to put things up, so he gets the few things that go in the refrigerator, plus he can pick up and carry milk and my 4yr old is to much of a weakling to, so it's a good job for the 2yr old.

You just have to know your child and just test his limits of what you think he can handle and how much of it (daily, weekly, etc) and know that he's only 5, so you might be able to do it better AND faster, but HE needs to do it to learn responsibility and how to be a member of the family "community" where everyone has to chip in to make it work. Most stuff he won't be able to do just right off the bat, but he'll learn and pick it up quickly enough and be ready to add on to it. You're 3yr old is old enough to be doing things too. At that age everything is still fun. My 2yr old is the BEST cleaner upper just because he thinks it's fun. He never even leaves bible class at church until he's helped cleaned up. All of my boys were like that at that age, but then they grow out of it when they realize it's actually work, so take advantage of it while you can. :)

K.
SAHM of 3 boys and a baby girl(6, as of this past weekend, 4, 2, & 8mths)

I also have a five year old boy. He helps to separate the laundry (he likes this and thinks of it as a game, finding the right color piles). He also is expected to clean his room (pick up his toys, throw all trash away, and put dirty clothes in the dirty clothes). He helps to unload the dishwasher, putting up small things like cups and silverware. They can do more than you think, just don't overwhelm them with too much at once. Mine is only expected to help with each chore about once a week. Hope this is helpful!

I have a 3yr old and a 11 month old i need all the help i can get. so my 3yr old separetes laundry, cleans his room, picks up toys,places shoes, coats and other items in the proper place. I also let him dust(no breakables). He is a big help. and since i am divorced i figured i should start him out early so he can help mommy!

Our five year old is responsible for cleaning his room, with direction of course. He works best when we focus on one thing at a time, "Put books on the shelves first", etc. One day he asked if he could help me unload the dishwasher so I let do the silverware, all but knives. If he asks, and usually does, I'll let him help me but I don't require him to. At church yesterday they were talking about this in his Sunday School class and each child said they would help out by doing "X" the next week. He chose feeding the dogs so he's helping out with that now, too!

I had chores when I was five. I had to make sure the dog had water and help set the table (when we used it which was about half the time.) I also had to put some of my own clothes away. These are pretty simple tasks and I think that they must have helped me become more responsible.

I have two daughters. My oldest is 4 years old and my youngest is 3 years old. They both are responsible for keeping their room clean. They also help with other chores around the house. The key is to make it seem like fun. Of course, housework isn't necessarily "fun". But at their age helping Mommy and Daddy is the greatest thing in the world.