| When my husband was in college, a number of | | | | wipe up spills; dry unbreakable dishes; pick |
| his fellow students were bringing their dirty | | | | up litter in the yard.Kindergartners: sweep |
| laundry home, and Mom was coming once a month | | | | small areas with a dustpan and broom; clean |
| to clean their room. This wasn't because they | | | | bathroom sinks; hang up the towel after a |
| were lazy, but they simply didn't know how to | | | | bath; store bath toys; help in the kitchen |
| do the laundry or house cleaning!Don't let | | | | (stirring, tearing lettuce, etc. - no knife |
| your children become like those students... | | | | yet!); set the napkins and silverware on the |
| Apart from the fact that teaching your | | | | table; clear dishes from the table (depends |
| children house and other chores prepare them | | | | on your child, you know if they risk breaking |
| for life on their own, they're also chores | | | | them or not); help load the dishwasher; |
| that you don't need to do! I know, I know, | | | | straighten plastic dishes in a cabinet; help |
| it takes time to teach them how to do it, and | | | | straighten pots and pans; sort family |
| there will be quite a few times when you will | | | | members' clean laundry; dust furniture; strip |
| need to finish the job behind them, but once | | | | linens from beds; straighten books on a |
| they know, you will never need to do it again | | | | bookshelf; put game and puzzle pieces in |
| until they leave... And, at least until they | | | | correct storage containers; use a lint |
| reach eight or so, they will be proud to be | | | | remover to pick up pet hair on furniture; |
| entrusted with "big people" tasks.So, what | | | | tidy up their room.Younger Elementary School |
| tasks can be safely delegated to your | | | | Kids: Make beds (any of them); take out |
| children? It depends on their age, but there | | | | garbage; sweep stairs and walks; clean the |
| are things they can do as early as 2 years | | | | car and help wash it; vacuum their own room; |
| old. Below is a list of tasks by age | | | | sort and straighten toys; fold and put away |
| group:Toddlers: Can dust with an | | | | laundry; empty the dishwasher; feed and care |
| electromagnetic cloth or baby wipe; Spray and | | | | for pets; set and clean the table (but only |
| scrub the sink and bathtub with water and a | | | | with unbreakable dishes and cups at this |
| sponge; pick up toys or other floor clutter | | | | point); sort clothes for washing.Older |
| and put them in baskets or bins - if the | | | | Elementary School Kids: Clean bathroom |
| baskets are labeled with pictures, they can | | | | mirrors; vacuum; clean toilets; clean |
| even put the right toys in the right | | | | countertops and the kitchen sink; mop |
| container! At this point, anything you give | | | | small-area floors; use the washer and dryer; |
| them to do except putting the toys away will | | | | wash, dry and put away dishes; clean pet |
| be more to give them something to do while | | | | areas; clean cobwebs and dust in high places |
| you are cleaning, but they will try to do | | | | with a pole; sweep the garage; set and clean |
| their best if you take the time to teach | | | | the table (by the end of elementary school, |
| them, and it will seem natural to them when | | | | they usually are able to do it with regular |
| they graduate to more complex | | | | dishes and glasses).Teenagers: Can do |
| tasks.Preschoolers: Sweep with kid-size | | | | everything you do, except for the most |
| broom; spray and squeegee windows using | | | | intensive jobs, or the ones using noxious |
| lemon- or vinegar-water (inside windows only, | | | | products, such as deep-cleaning of the oven, |
| please!); use a handheld vacuum; wipe sinks | | | | or removing mold from the bathroom tiles.So, |
| using baby wipes; empty a small trash basket | | | | when will you sit down and create a chore |
| into a bigger bag; scrub corners of kitchen | | | | chart for your children? What chores will you |
| chairs or other small spaces using a clean | | | | assign to each, depending on their ages? What |
| toothbrush or nail brush and a cup of water; | | | | will you do with the time you are saving this |
| make beds (preferably with a comforter, it's | | | | way?Karin Vibe-Rheymer-Stewart, Ph.D., helps |
| easier for them); fold towels; put clothes in | | | | busy women reclaim time and achieve work/life |
| drawers; hang clothes on hooks; put dirty | | | | balance through whole-life time management, |
| clothes in hamper; help feed animals; wipe | | | | in other words everything that affects your |
| off baseboards, windowsills with small cloth | | | | use of time. She works through one-on-one |
| or wearing old socks on their hands; help | | | | coaching, group coaching, seminars and talks. |