Question
Would love some feedback on chores for my 6 and 8 year olds. Every Saturday they are expected to each clean their own mirror and sink in the bathroom, clean either the play room or their bedroom (they alternate weeks), complete any homework they have (usually pretty minimal), and then one addition chore each (the 8 year old cleans toilets and the 6 year old gathers all the trash and takes it to the dumpster.) Occasionally they will have an extra chore or two for misbehavior during the week. So, here are my questions—1. Do you think this list is appropriate for their ages? 2. If so, how would you suggest helping them manage it on any given Saturday. we’ve tried a variety of things—letting them manage their own time to get them done by the end of the day, starting chores at a set time and then no playing until chores are finished. Etc. Some weeks go ok but others end up in tearful meltdowns about how they “keep getting distracted” or I end up policing the “no playing until chores are done” which results in endless reminders/nagging to stop playing and get back to work. Not a pattern that’s good for anyone. I struggle to know what’s developmentally appropriate to expect with time management— how much assistance/teaching should I be doing or if I should just back off entirely and let them figure it out on their own. And then there are personality differences to take into account. If and when they get to work, it takes less than an hour—but that’s not usually how it goes. I want them to have plenty of time to play but somehow chores seem to take over the day.
