8 year old and daily responsibilities...?

Question

What do you expect from your 8 year old son? What kind of chores (indoor and out) would be reasonable). Now that summer vacation is starting...I want to put together a chore board and offer an outing every Friday if he accomplishes all his tasks...what do you think???

Answer 1

Making their bed and tidying their room

Also, watching an dish they use outside of mealtime.  So, if they have a snack and use a cup, wash it or rinse it and place in dishwasher.

Answer 2

I have a 7 year daughter.  She does the following daily:

gets the mail from the mailbox

cleans up her dishes after a meal (puts in the dishwasher)

lets the dog out when we come home

feeds the dog

puts the recyclables in the recycle bin

other misc. things like clean her room, etc. but not always on a daily basis.

I don't consider these chores, but part of daily life.  I will occassionally ask her to dust the tables, clean the patio window, clean the table.  She doesn't mind doing any of this (not yet anyway).  I think once you label them "chores" or you'll get a prize if you do everything, then it becomes dreadful for the child.

Answer 3

An 8 year old child should have exactly the same moderate household chores during school AND vacation. I think you are totally looking at his life completely wrongly, and need to start again. Chores are chores. Year round. He doesn't need special ones if you function without them the rest of the year. Chores are age appropriate. That's all.  And keep your "Friday outing" to yourself, if that's what it takes for you to actually do something with him on his holiday.

Answer 4

When I was that age..

Feed the dog.

Do the dishes.

Take out the trash.

Wash the car.

Rake Leaves.

When I was 10 it moved up to pet and lawn maintenance only. My siblings took over the other jobs.

When I was like 12. Babysitter was added on.

Answer 5

Vacuuming and Dusting, Taking the Dogs for a walk, cleaning the cat litter, dishwasher duty.

Anything else is too much for an 8 year old and remember he's still only 8 and needs to have time to play as well.

Answer 6

Good idea!

Maybe these are good & age appropriate

* Wash car

* Sweep patio in garden

* Pick weeds in garden

* Take out rubbish/trash

* Vacuum

* Wipe kitchen sides (my 5 year old girl loves to clean the door fronts whilst I do the worktops)

* Wash up

* Keep bedroom especially tidy

Good luck and I hope that you and your son have a great summer!

Answer 7

I implemented a chore wheel when my stepdaughter turned 8. They are easy to make and your son can help. All you need is two paper plates and one of those round paper holders that let stuff spin. One one plate divide it into sections, the number of sections depend on the number of chores you want to give them. My stepdaughter has 6 chores to choose from: Wash Dishes, set the table, clear the table, wash kitchen floor, vacuum living room, and wash the tub. You could also use, take out trash, walk the dog, dust, sweep, water the garden.  Decide on the number of chore choices, you need an even number of choices, if you have an odd number like I did then you can include a free space so the child gets a day off from chores but they are only allowed one free per week.  Then divide the first pie plate into the appropriate number of sections, if there are 8 choices then 8 equal sections, and write one chore in each section.. Then cut a section out of the second plate that is the same size as one section on the first plate. Place the second plate onto of the first plate an push the paper fastener through the center of both plates and fold back the metal ends. Just make sure the fastener is loose enough for the second plate to spin. You may need to bend out the edges of the second plate a little so it doesn't rub on the first plate. Then attach a peel and stick magnet to the back of the first plate and stick it on the fridge. Then every day your son can spin the wheel and see what chore he has to do that day. It makes it random and fun.

Answer 8

Set the table

Make his bed

Make sure his room is reasonably clean (no toys on floor...)

Make sure his stuff is put away and not lying around the house

Help you with the dishes

This is a great idea. That way he keeps these ideas when he becomes a teenager and doesnt want to do any of t hese anymore. It'll slowly become a habit to keep his room tidy, and keep his stuff out of other peoples ways.

Answer 9

Excellent idea. He could benefit from that. Sweeping the floor, cleaning up his room, washing windows, clearing the table after meals, helping wash dishes, pulling weeds in the garden are all things an 8 year old is more than capable of doing. Make sure you teach him the correct way so that he knows how to do it and then let him on his own. He'll probably do a great job and be excited about it.

Answer 10

Take out trash.

Clean house (make sure no trash on the floor,pick up the pillows..ect.)

Clean table after meals.

Help take care of pet.

I hope this helped.

-Tara

Answer 11

I think its great idea.  Lots of things he can do. here are two links that include things to do and free printable chore charts that are age appropriate

http://housekeeping.about.com/od/chorech...

http://www.printablechecklists.com/check...