Last year when we adopted our two sweet children, we sort of went into “survival” mode. Both children had emotional issues, and they need weekly behavioral therapy. Bella was enrolled in a therapy school, and Casey had physical, occupational, and speech therapy. I was spending hours and hour each day on the road. I was happy if I could somewhat maintain the house, and assigning chores to my kids wasn’t even on my radar.
This year things are different. My kids have graduated from all their therapy programs. They are sweet, happy children. You’d never know that a year ago they had major issues. (Thank you, God!) And now it’s time for chores!
First, I found a FREE printable chore chart here.
I printed up three BLANK copies of the chart so I could tailor them for my kids.
This website also gave me great ideas of what kids could do a different ages.
Our list:
Bella (6)
- Pick up toys
- Put laundry in hamper
- Take dishes to sink after meal
- Make bed
- Set plates and cups for dinner
- Match socks
Alyssa (4)
- Pick up toys
- Put laundry in hamper
- Sort laundry
- Take dishes to sink after meal
- Make bed
- Set napkins and silverware for dinner
Casey (3)
- Pick up toys
- Put laundry in hamper
- Check mailbox
- Take dishes to sink after meal
- Make bed
I might add on more later, but this is a great place to start!
I know it’s going to take a couple of weeks for us to get our chores down, but I know the work I put in now will be worth it! I saw this with my first round of kids. The more training I put in now will benefit our family’s team work later.
Things I will start with:
- Create a chore chart.
- Explain it to the kids.
- Work with them through the day to follow the chart.
- Create a small award box.
How about you? How do you handle chores for your kids?
Steps You can Take
- Choose chores for your kids.
- Create a chart.
- Train them for their chores.
- Reward them!
Daily Prayer
Dear Lord,
Sometimes it’s so much easier just to do things myself than to train my children. Yet I know that so much of “today” is really about “tomorrow” and the men and women they will grow to be. Help me to be diligent, Lord, to teach them diligence. Help me to be faithful with my time, attention, home and resources, so my children will understand how to be faith to all things you have so graciously given us.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Resources You Might Like:
Cleaning House: A Mom’s Twelve-Month Experiment to Rid her House of Youth Entitlement
If Dogs Could Do Chores
Financial Peace Junior
I can’t wait until my little ones are able to have a chore chart. Right now I’m ecstatic when they manage to get clothes in the hamper AND (this is key!) leave them there 😉 I missed your daily prayer on this post – they have been fantastic reminders for me 🙂
Oh my! I forgot the daily prayer!! I’m going to go back and add that!
Yes, LEAVING the clothes in the hamper is huge! LOL
Thanks so much for adding the prayer 🙂 I really do get a lot out of them!
Thanks for this post, Tricia! My toddler isn’t quite two yet, so it’s kind of hard to get him involved, but I’m determined to teach him how to help around the house. I’ll be pinning this page for later reference. 🙂
Sounds wonderful! Also, helping to sort/pickup toys is a great place to start!
Tricia, I really miss the days when my own were under 6. Daniel is the most agreeable of my three
and when we hit Tweens as you know we start to see a tiny bit of rebellion in kids. We were a Blended
family years ago and my little ones grew up with the older ones in the house still for a time. Alot of
Drama has come and gone in the years of their growing up and i think we have issues that not alot of folks do.
Blessings
Linda
I pray that the relationships will grow closer over the years, Linda! God can make it happen!
I am terrible with chore charts! But my boys need something to help them remember. I have cards that they can see what they need to do without me having to nag them. And it helps them have some independence.
I love that idea!! I might try it!
Thank you for this post… We added two preschoolers (5 & 4) to our family this winter and definitely still in survival mode. Its hard how much of our chore routine with our oldest (6) has slipped since adding two more but thanks for the reminder that we’ll get there.