Do you remember your first days at college, or your first time living on your own?  Did you know how to wash your own laundry and cook your own meals?  If you answer yes to these questions you can thank your parents and the chores they had you complete as a child.

Chores are not a way to punish your children.  In fact, chores are the way you can help to teach your child responsibility, self-sufficiency, and the positive feelings that come from a job well done.  The earlier you start giving your child chores around the house the better it will be for them, as they begin to learn from a young age that chores are part of their responsibility as a member of your family.

Children as young as two years old can help out around the house with simple tasks.  Here are some age-based guidelines you can use for assigning chores to your children.

Toddlers ages 2 to 4 love to help mommy and enjoy the verbal praise they get.  Since these children have short attention spans have them help out with simple tasks like wiping up spills, picking up their dirty clothes, or dusting low tables.  You can make chore time a game by setting a buzzer and seeing if you can pick up all the toys in their room before it goes off, or saying you’ll pick up while signing the ABC song.

Children ages 5 and 6 are motivated by rewards.  Create a “chore chart” in the kitchen and give them a gold star or sticker when they complete a task.  Routine becomes important at this age, so have your children do the same chores every day like making their beds, picking up their dirty laundry, setting the table, or drying unbreakable dishes.

When children reach ages 7, 8 and 9 they don’t need as much supervision as they previously did.  Chores that a child this age can do include vacuuming the living room, washing dishes, taking out the trash, and sorting and putting away the laundry.

As children become preteens, they really don’t want to help out around the house.  This is one of the reasons you want to establish the responsibility of completing chores at a younger age.  Rewards and consequences are also important at this age.  Limiting privileges such as using the computer until the chores are completed are ways to get across the idea that there are consequences when you don’t complete a chore.  Children in this age range (10 to 12) can help out with tasks such as mowing the lawn, raking leaves, or washing clothes.

Teenagers can pretty much do whatever chores an adult is capable of doing.  Here too it is important to use rewards and consequences to have them complete their chores.

Before asking your child to take on a new chore, have them watch you do it the first time.  The next time work with the child, giving them specific instructions on how to complete the task.  Then observe your child doing the chore until you are sure she can complete it satisfactorily and safely.  Always inspect your child’s work to make sure the chore has been completed satisfactorily.

Your floors might not be a clean as you like, and your clothes might not be folded to your standards, but it’s important to let your children complete these chores.  You’re helping to develop the skills they are going to need to be successful in life.