Chores - Bowie, MD

I would say ask him what kind of chores he would like to help with. After he tells you, adapt them to fit what he is able to do and create a chore chart. My daughter was about 4 or 5 when I did this with her and each year we update it according to her age. One of the things she wanted to do was the laundry. So her laundry chore at the time was to match the socks when laundry was being done (we wear decorated socks at my house). Now that she is nine, the laundry task has been updated to say she has to not only fold the socks, but she has to put her own laundry away now. And she enjoys it because I taught her early on about being responsible for household chores. Good luck!!!

Hi M.,

Call his pre school and talk with them. They would have many ideas. If he is not in Pre school, call a pre school nearest you and ask them.

Good luck. D.

he can carry your clean laundry to your room and his to his room. he can set the table or help you clear it. we just started letting our 3yr old return the s/p to the kitchen and the hot pads and empty plates...she loves it. the little trash is good. picking up his toys is good. that can be overwhelming. we have the kids pick up all books, clothes, and stuffed animals. we get the little and bigger stuff.
if he is super helpful and is always asking to do for you, then by all means let him do whatever it is you are doing.
having a few chores at 4 is good, but dont overdo it.

My three year old boy is obsessed with being helpful, which can sometimes be a chore for us since most chores cannot be done independently and can lead to "I wanted to do it!" tantrums...but I'm not complaining;) He likes to:
-Feed the cats most days (we open the can, he scoops it out, calls the cats and lays down the bowls)
-Helps add laundry to our front-loading washer and toss wet laundry into the dryer (it's stacked, so this is more for sport)
-Sort clean socks to make pairs
-Help fill and unload the dishwasher
-Help mow the grass (literally pushing it with his dad - probably not very safe)
-Make coffee with his dad most mornings (grind the beans, measure the scoops, press the buttons, etc.)
-Sweep and vacuum, although the vacuum being on scares him, so he pretend vacuums with it off. He does love the Swiffer vac which finally broke and our new Shark vac broom.
-Helping me water plants indoors and out (especially with the hose) and helping me plant things.
-Perhaps his favorite thing is spraying cleaning products. I let him spray Dreft stain remover on laundry and non-toxic countertop/all-purpose cleaners on kitchen surfaces (always with my supervision)

Sadly, he does not like to clean up his own toys and clothes!! Must be inherited from his dad...

I like to let my younger ones dust with a feather or swiffer type duster, attempt to wipe down the sliding glass doors and put the silver ware away from the dishwasher (after I've taken out any sharp knives). I figure that putting the forks, spoons into there proper compartments is an educational sorting activity as well as a chore. My 3 yo old daughter loves folding wash cloths and small towels too. I think the key to giving little ones chores is to not expect them to always be done perfectly.

M.,
It's wonderful that your son is helping with chores. I wouldn't give gim more chores but keep telling him how much you appreciate his hekp and prize him with things like a breakfast in bed on a weekend or ice cream with all kind of toppins. Kids love these kind of things and will keep him motivated and hopefully he keeps doing the same when he become a teenager. I have three teens and they all help and do their own laundry since they were 9 years old.
Consider yourself blessed with your son.
M.

I love that you are teaching him responsibility now! YEAH! Way to go Mom! My 2yr old sets the table every night for dinner. We use 'fine china' aka paper plates LOL!!!! He can set the plates out, the forks, and napkins on the plates for everyone. He folds wash clothes although I may have to 'straighten' them up a bit later. He helps take the clothes out of the drier. Since we use Melaleuca cleaning products which are non-toxic, he uses a tough & tender wipe to help me clean all around the kitchen. He helps put the shoes into the closet. He helps pick up sticks in the yard. I can't think of any more right now. I hope these help. Keep up the good work MOM! N. :) SAHM homeschooling 3 boys 12, 7 & 2 yrs old married for almost 15yrs to Mr. Wonderful!

Hi M.,

I know this is quite a while after you sent your request, but I have a 4yo and he helps set the table for dinner, put dirty dishes in the dishwasher (with supervision, of course, and I have to fight the urge to completely change everything he does!), and he can put the silverware away after the dishwasher cleans it. He can also stack plates, bowls, etc. from the dishwasher and I can put them in the cupboards. He also has his very own WORKING vacuum cleaner and he vacuums with his and daddy vacuums the house. (Target had a small, lightweight vac for $10 at Christmas, so Santa brought it--my men love to vacuum, how lucky am I?!!) : ) My little guy can also fold towels, wash cloths, and even his own clothes. I SWEAR I didn't teach him how--he just did it on his own!

I don't ask him to do any of these as chores; if I'm folding clothes or emptying the dishwasher and he's nearby, I'll ask if he wants to help. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't, but he's capable of doing everything I listed. Oh, and he LOVES to use the duster on the TV and any flat surface he can reach!

It sounds like your little guy has enough chores if you have him do those on a regular basis, but a good variety of jobs to "help" with might work better in the long run than assigning specific tasks for him to complete regularly.

Hope this is helpful!
D.

Yay for a helpful boy!

I can only reiterate some of what has already been said, so here goes:

- feed the dog/cat.
- set the table with napkins and/or silverware.
- sort laundry with you.
- gather bath towels on wash day.
- sweep the sidewalk after the lawn has been mowed.

A sticker chart is what we used with our son at that age. When he earned X amount of stickers, there was a reward, like a Matchbox car or small Lego.

My daughter is 4 and her chores include
sorting socks
getting the mail from the box
bringing the trash & recycling can(both on wheels) up
the driveway
feeding the dog(takes turns with 2 yr old sister)
setting the table
putting her dirty dishes in sink
putting dirty clothes in the hamper
We are starting to add making her bed and putting her clothes away.
She also helps grocery shopping. She puts the items in the cart and then I put her in the cart to unload it. This also helps to keep her and her sister occupied and out of trouble while shopping.

I know this sounds like a like for a 4 yr old but she likes to help and not all of them are daily. Her 2 yr old sister also does several of these already too.

L.

What you are doing sounds great - just have him follow you around helping.

That is pretty much what I do, but in addition to my 4 year old daughter's posted "job list." In her case:

Feed cat every day
Make bed every morning (before school)
Water plants once a week
Help with laundry once a week
Pick up toys every day
Clean room every night (before bettime story)

I made a chart with simple words she can try to sound out like cat, bed, toys. I used stickers (cat, bed, broom, etc.) to help since she is pre-reading. I kept the list short - this is what she MUST do each week/day. I am really flexible, e.g., the bed is not ever made to my standards and the clothes are not folded the way I do. And at this age I am doing most of this alongside her. For the laundry, sometimes it is as simple as throwing the clothes in the machine, other times she helps me start to finish. Often, I can get it doen faster without her, but I want her to know she has a regular responsibility in this area and to make asymbolic effort.

I assume basic cleaning up after one's self, like putting her dishes in the sink, which she now does routinely And she has to help on big weekend projects, like cleaning out the garage.

She also likes to help me clean her bathroom. But I always open the windows or have her leave if I am using strong chemicals. I don't let her clean the toilet because I am afraid of chemicals splashing. She must wear a latex glove and she uses a clorox type wipe or a wet paper towel. Believe it or not , this is one of her favorite chores.

First - hooray for you for raising such a respectful child! Children love to imitate what they see their parent doing and you must be doing a great job of keeping things neat.
You could also let your son:
wipe down the table before and after you eat
let him wash fresh veggies (watch the water temp)
stir things for you when you are mixing up food
teach him how to replace the toilet paper roll
get him a small child sized broom so he can sweep
teach him to fold towels and rags, sort and pair socks
do you have plants - let him water them

Mostly My 5 yo take care of cleaning up after himself-keeping everything separated and in its containers. He cleans up laundry and separates it for me-we are working on folding techniques now-we've mastered the towel. He can also set the table and clears the table to the countertop(only- we have concrete and training has claimed more than a few dishes being dropped in the sink!). I haven't forced him to do any of this, it's just been a natural progression coming from his desire to help. We've always just tried to instill- the 'do your part' concept- that is just what families do. The sooner we get it all done- the sooner we ALL get to play.

What a wonderful son! Here are some other ideas:

- Have him help you set the dinner table. He can fold the napkins, place the utensils, set out cups, etc.
- Clean up his toys
- Sort the recycling (plastic vs newspaper) into appropriate bins

Chores are good, but make sure he gets in some good play time, too! He is still a kid. :)

My four year old helps with setting the table (utensils & napkins) and clearing off the table (her napkin in the trash, her plate/cup/utensils to the counter by the sink.
She LOVES using the swiffer to clean the floors (I removed the top half of the pole). I also gave her a small dollar-store dustpan/broom set and she likes going around and picking stuff up (grass & leaves Daddy or the dog has tracked in usually.)

I also give her a dustcloth and she wets it and wrings it out and uses it to clean her own little kitchen set downstairs and her plastic vanity set in her bedroom. Its a nice help to clean the dust off and teaches her responsibility for cleaning her own stuff.

In the nice weather she loves helping to water plants outside, with her own little watering can or the hose.

I love some of the other suggestions here - we'll be adding some of them to our routine, like helping with laundry. = ) Thanks for asking the question!

I would say that he can be responsible for making his bed each day, putting his dirty clothes in the hamper and wiping the tub after he bathes. For that last one you'll want a "friendly" cleaning cloth - Maybe even just a wet sponge w/ no cleaner on it. Initially w/ the bed making, I wouldn't be a stickler for tight corners and no lumps. My two yo makes her bed most days and she always has the blanket crooked and hanging off the bed. I praise her and leave it like that.

Also, you might remove one of the pieces from a swifter pole so that he can sweep the floor.

My daughter likes to find all the socks out of the clean laundry and soon I'm hoping she can put the matching ones together. I get her to add the soap to the washing machine, she can add water and other ingredients to food I'm making and sometimes even stir it. She can help setting the table for dinner, just taking things like salt and pepper or plates to the table. She brings me all kinds of things I need and we have a small size version of a broom, she loves to sweep. Now obviously at her age of 2 and a half, she doesn't accomplish a lot but I really want her to like helping me and it gives me a chance to give her positive feedback. Hope this helps, sounds like you are doing all the right things already.

M.,
good for you. You have already received plenty of great ideas. I for one do not think they can have too many chores at this age. It is so good for them to learn that the chores have to be done before play. I have a 5 and 6 year old and this has been the rule since they were 2 and 3. The one thing we do which may help you is let them use a spray bottle with 2 parts vinegar to 2 parts water. This is an excellent non toxic cleaner for windows, mirrors, counters, tubs sinks,almost any hard surface.
Hope you continue haing him help out.
P.