How many and what chores around the house should our 16 year old do?

Question

The has been an 'issue' for some time, but now we are proposing giving her her full child benefit allowance and she is thinking about moving out soon, I feel she should do most of the jobs I have to do in house on a rota basis, so she knows what to expect in the future. At the moment she stacks the dishwasher and tidies her room and that's about it. I always felt that was too little, but complicated '2 home' situations made it difficult to ask her to contribute more. What do others do?

Answer 1

Your daughter could wash dishes, take out the trash, clean some rooms in the house, vacuum the floor, fold the laundry, etc..  I've had to do most/all of the above things since I was 7 years old.

Answer 2

Im 15 and my mom just makes me clean up after myself (dishes, room, laundry etc.) I think it's a great idea to make her do things that she's going to be doing in the "real world" after she moves out. My parents also give me projects around the house in the summer like painting rooms or taking care of the garden just to keep me out of trouble haha.

Good Luck =)

Answer 3

she could make you all dinner once a week

sweep floors daily

Mop every other day

take trash out for pick up

Do laundry once or twice a week

This is what i had to do when i was 16.

Answer 4

I used to be responsible for cleaning the bathroom and shared washing up duties with my brother and took turns daily hoovering the dining room.

Answer 5

My oldest girl was doing about everything by the time she was 10. This includes washing car and cutting lawn.

Just stacking dishwasher and cleaning her own room is not chores.

Think about everything you have to do , and teach her ALL of it.

Think about the things she will have to do on her own, which is EVERYTHING

Answer 6

my 5 year old daughter does more than that

She should be

doing the dishes (washing and putting away) at least once a week

taking turns with other housemembers in the following chores:

cutting the grass

cleaning the bathroom

washing the car

laundry

vacuuming

any other household chores

Answer 7

Had this child lived in my parents house, he would be washing laundry, dishes, taking out the trash, vacuuming the carpets, putting clothes away (and we had to hang laundry outside on the clothesline 12 months out of the year), scrub floors, and whatever else my mother saw fit to make us do.  I even had to get up nights with her twins because she didn't want to.

Answer 8

When I was 15 I had alot of chores. On a  normal day I would come home from school at 3:30 and do my homework til 4 or 4:30. While doing my homework I would start on the laundry. After I finished my homework, I would fold clothes and iron my step-dad's pants and hankys. Then I watched tv til about 5 or so. At about 5:30 or 6, mom would start on supper. I set the table and anything else mom needed. After supper, I cleaned the table and loaded the dishwasher. Then I could watch tv and make 1 phone call unless I need to clean my room. Then at 9 or 9:30, I went to bed. Other chores I had that didn't have to be done everyday included: Sweeping inside and both porches, vacumming, cleaning my bathroom, dusting, taking the garbage out. I know this sounds like alot but I learned alot from having responability. Most kids I meet today don't even know how to wash clothes. I have 3 little boys and they pick up all their toys before they go to bed. They pick up their dirty clothes. And my oldest is 4. I just want my boys to be prepared for being on their own like I was.

Answer 9

If she is going to have an allowance I'd have her doing more than cleaning her room and dishes. How about some dusting once a week, dishes, cleaning her room and cleaning her bathroom (or the bathroom if you have only one)..She could also start doing her own laundry..

Answer 10

Im 17 and i have weekly and daily jobs around the house as listed:

daily: put away and clean dishes

          clean my room

          fold laundry

weekly:  clean the bathtub

               clean the mirrors in the bathroom and sink

               vaccum the living room and bedroom

Answer 11

She can do any chores that you or your partner can do. She's fully capable. She can wash/dry dishes, help make dinner, set and clear the table, wash the walls, mow the lawn, weed the garden, etc. Go for about $20 a month if you want to give her an allowance. She can't move out until she's 18.

Answer 12

I can understand the "2 home" situation making it difficult, but it still shouldn't mean you can't ask her to do chores.  I'm eighteen and for the past five years i've vacuumed the family, living and dining rooms every day, empty the dishwasher and dust once a week.  I also cook at least four days a week for my family, but that is by choice.  Discuss it with her in a rational manner, with maturity comes responsibility and she should be responsible.  Ask her to start vacuuming, and watch if she does something without your asking her - and ALWAYS remember to thank her for it, especially if she does it without being asked.  If she feels like you take what she does for granted, she'll not want to do more and eventually stop doing what she's doing now.  Good luck!!

Answer 13

You can add her laundry to that list. She is old enough to do her own and it is teaching her a life skill at the same time.

Answer 14

ohh my well i had so many chores when i was a kid lets see at age 10 i had to wash the dishes at age 11 my sister and i had to share folding clothes and washing dishes and at age 12 shoot it was helping my mom clean the house to her specifications. Now i am a mother of a 12 year old and she does the dishes vaccums and folds and puts up clothes and doesnt get paid for it there is no other choice for her she has to do it and when i was 16 i had all those chores and then had to help cook for no allowance it was just because and i knew that my mom would take me to get something nice becuase of all of my chores being done and when she went shopping i knew i was too. She told me one day that i would too have  a little girl and i would have to tell her and make her do the same things and i am and she knows that as long as she keeps doing these chores yes things come easier to her and when she asked to go and do stuff with her friends i will be easier to say yes because she has acted very responsible indoing her chores. SO dont feel guilty for making her have some responsiblity just know that you are making her become dependable responsible and very independent for her big life ahead.