Chores for a 9 year old?

Question

I have a 9 year old son and would like him to do more around the house. I don't want to burn him out though. He is a profoundly gifted child (that presents a lot of unique challenges) and he does his math through Johns Hokins university which takes a lot of time. Also, he is in band so he has band practices. He is starting baseball soon, so that will take more time. I want him to still have time to play and be a normal kid. I don't want him to have too much on his plate, but I would like him to have to do something around the house to help out the family. He is a very responsible boy who does all his homework (which is a lot) without me reminding him. He practices his baritone without me telling him. He goes out in the backyard and practices his baseball skills without prompting. I would like to teach him that he needs to help out with family chores because we are a family and should work together around here as a family. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Sounds like he has enough to do! you had better do your own chores.

Answer 2

ask him to do dishes after dinner, set the table or even wipe down the table after dinner.

Answer 3

since he seems very busy he can't do alot of chores so have him. help clean the kicthen,have him clean up certain rooms that need cleaning.sorry you'll have to do the rest.

Answer 4

Sounds like a busy kid but im sure you are busy too! have him do the little things that add up and take time out of your day. Stuff like...

take out trash

Do dishes or load/unload them

Set/Clean off table after meals

Fold laundry

Clean own room

take care of pets?

do yard work?

9 yrs old is definitely old enough to be helping out.

Answer 5

Wow what a great little guy you have there. I have my 9 yr old daughter dust the LR once a week, she clears the dinner table nightly, sweeps the kitchen when needed and just recently I showed her how to clean her own (small) bathroom which she will do once a week...surprisingly when I ask her to do the above tasks, she's so happy to do it, but getting this child to make her bed or brush her teeth is like asking for a miracle. We pay her $5 a wk, half goes into her savings and she can spend the rest on clothes, cd's etc.

Answer 6

It sounds like you've got a good kid there. You may want to get together as a family and talk about it. Do you have pets? That's always a good place to start. Kind of a fun "job" and very rewarding! Does he already "take care" of his own stuff?  i.e. make his bed, put his dirty clothes in a certain place, clean clothes away, etc. Ask him what he'd like to take on as his responsibility. Have some ideas for him ahead of time- things that you would like him to do- and listen to his thoughts. Sounds like you've probably already been doing alot of things the "right" way.

Answer 7

Maybe just small things, like take out the trash, or when you do a load of towels, leave them in the dryer. Let it be his job to fold and put towels away.Feeding and watering the dog(if you have one). Little things like this that wont take up a lot of time.

Answer 8

I use to work with kids his age, at a treatment home, and you would be amazed at what they can handle. One chore is enough for the day at his age and with his schedule. And it should be something that makes him feel like he is contributing, but without over doing it.

Here are some ideas...

Help prepare a meal at least one night a week (Or as often as he can)

If you have a dishwasher, his job can be to load it or put the dishes away.

Swiffer the house.  

Dust furniture.

If he has his own bathroom his job could be to empty the trash, wipe down the sink and counters, and toilet seat. (The big stuff would be left to the adult)

Help with grocery shopping

Collect all the garbage in the house on garbage day, so that it can be prepared to go out.

That's a start, hope it helps.

Answer 9

I completly understand...my oldest has always been the brain, overachiever...But you have to set the normal boundries for him as other kids....this would be a good time to show him how to work the washer....give him the job of washing a load of towels a wk.  With his busy schedule, and yours too...as he gets older your family will start to break down if he isnt helping out....but other than that the normal...trash, mabee assign him a room once a wk to clean.

Answer 10

Where the heck is Johns Hokins?

Answer 11

If you have any pets, he could feed them everyday. But it sounds to me like he has too much responsibility already. He's only 9, yet he has the schedule of a 19 year old! Let him be a kid a little more! Plz, for his sake! To have him play and act like a normal kid, you don't give him so much responsibility!

Answer 12

He sounds like an awesome kid!  I agree, it's a good thing for each child to participate in keeping things organized in and around the house.

A nine-year-old can do lots of things that don't take too much time.  How about the following:

Keep his own room clean

Fold his laundry and put it away

Empty the dishwasher and put away the dishes

Take out the garbage

Care for pets appropriately

Once the summer comes and he has more free time, maybe you can get him to help out with some bigger family projects, like yard cleanup, garage cleanup, gardening, etc.

You sound like a wonderful mom who is raising a well-rounded, successful child!

Answer 13

You can give him things like throwing out the trash, picking up the room. You can also teach him how to dust the house, or if you have a pet, make him responsible for cleaning after the pet.

Answer 14

You can have a day that every one in the family pitches in and give him a job to do. A couple of hours maybe on a Saturday morning when every one wakes up a little early to do chores and then once you're done you can do something together as a family, like every one helping to make brunch or something.  Once he has the hang of doing one job introduce him to do another one.

Giving kids a chore, even something basic like making their bed or cleaning up their room will help them with skills that they will take when they become adults.

Answer 15

I have my 9 year-old son clean his room, bring in the empty garbage cans & recycle bins. He also dusts the living room and wipes down all the tv's in the house. I give him $2 a week for allowance, I have to start little because I know it'll cost me more as he gets older.

Answer 16

Besides the obvious like clean up his room and put his clothes away..how about set the table..help clean off the table, help undo the dishwasher and take out the trash?

Answer 17

dude your kid doesn't do chores! I'm 10 and my mom makes me do the laundry, wash dishes, take out the trash, clean the bathrooms, vacuum,clean my little sister's room, dust, and my mom is a 1st grade teacher and i go to school with her and she makes me check her  mail and set up her classroom.

P.S. I'm in a gifted class and that doesn't mean i get privileges

Answer 18

In all seriousness- ask him!  He sounds like a truly special child, sit him down and let him know you want to give him the gift of being able to help out with the family but still have time for all him other activities.  Ask HIM what he thinks he'd be capable of.  This is truly a great opportunity to give your child some great lessons and some independence and respect by letting him choose.  Also, if he chooses he will be more apt to doing them!  Best of luck!