Is it natural for a 12 year old to do this much work?

Question

ok um here is the bottom line. my brother and me do a lot of chores but we dont get payed because my parents are out of the house by 7:30 and so they dont have time to do any normal house work because they get home by 4:30-5:00 (except sometimes my mom she works at another job and usually will work until ten pm. my mom

is ready to go to bed when she gets home and usually my dad has to do work from home from his laptop. so basically me and my brother do everything. we vacuum every other day we keep up with laundry we dust we weed when my dad tells us to, i take my dog for a walk i wipe the bathrooms (like with clorox wipes) and replace the bathroom hand towels every other day? is that normal for a 12 year old and a 15 year old to do that stuff for free? if it isnt how much would you pay or get payed?

obtw the reason we dont get payed is my parents cant afford it (we live in michigan worst economy and my dad will lose his job in the future) and my parents think we should do this stuff for free so that when we are adults we know how to do this stuff oh and another thing we do is my brother emptys the dishwasher i load it and wash all dishes that cant go in the dishwasher.

Answer 1

Chores are a contribution to the family.  Carrying your share of the load.  You don't get paid for them.  These aren't unreasonable chores.

If you wanted to charge them for these services you could.  But you should expect an invoice in return.  Their invoice will include food preparation, laundry services, and taxi driving.  The room you stay in is called board.  You need to pay for that.  You'll also need to reimburse them for your cell/internet if applicable, and the clothes you wear.  Sorry.

Answer 2

Contributing to the household should not require being paid.

Answer 3

I think it is ok.. and you and your brother should help out with your parents working so hard to provide for you.. you may not be getting cash but they are paying you.. like when you go out to eat or buy something outside the norm, money for the movies

BTW can you teach my son to help out like you guys :)  

Answer 4

Actually, I think it's a pretty good category for this question.

Are you still able to find time to do your homework as well as "play" and have personal and social time? If so, then it sounds like a good balance. If not, then yes, it might be a problem.

It seems like your parents are working very hard to provide for you, and for that they should be commended. If they are truly busy working all the time to make ends meet, then no, it's not too much to ask of you as a part of the family.

Do you receive an allowance that isn't based on your chores?

It sounds like this is what it takes to sustain your family, and as part of a family the children should have some responsibilities.

Perhaps you could see this as a lesson for the future--make sure you have a good education and are able to provide for your family without having to work multiple jobs.

I don't fault your parents at all, however. I'm sure they'd prefer they didn't have to work so much as well, and probably hope you never have to!

EDIT: Oh, well, then, it doesn't sound like your parents are working a lot to make ends meet; it sounds like they're working a lot for the extras.

In that case, while I still don't think you're doing too much, I do think it has the potential to be a little excessive. However, as long as you're not working every second of the day for them then it's still part and parcel of being part of a family.

As a personal opinion, while I don't think an allowance is necessary, if money's so tight that your parents can't AFFORD a meager allowance, perhaps they should sell the boat and their cottage.

Answer 5

Why should you get paid?  You live under the roof your parents provide for you don't you?

Answer 6

for me its totally normal your lucky you have a brother(or sister)and i don't get paid plus i have a part time so stop crying about it

Answer 7

It is absolutely natural if you want to live in a decent clean house. My son has his own chores and his 6. I'm a housewife now, but he still helps. In your case, you have another option (having your mom doing it after 2 jobs at 10 o'clock at night) and it wouldn't be natural at all.  You seem to be crying since you wonder if it's natural, I don't think you wonder if it's natural that both your parents work so hard. Do you wonder if it's natural they put a roof on your head and food on your table? Or is it that you only wonder when it comes to you "working hard" (Sorry but I don't think you do)  Last thing, in my opinion, you should get paid only if you cleaned someone else's house.

Answer 8

me and my brothers also have to do work around the house. i live in california and my mom doesn't pay me--why would you need to pay your kids to do work? all the parents need to do is feed/shelter/love you....that's all they're SUPPOSED to do.

Answer 9

Yes, it's normal.  Your parents are working hard to keep a roof over your heads.  They need your help.  It's called family obligations.  It's not chores to be paid for, but everyday routine responsibilities.  I don't get paid to vacumm my house, empty my dishwasher and mow the lawn.  Yes, you need to learn responsibilities for when you are an adult taking care of yourself.

However, for a 4 person household, there is no reason to change hand towels every other day or vacumm every other day.  

Answer 10

My friend and her brother and sister do about the same amount of chores that you and your brother do and their mum gives them £10 a week. I think that's something like $5?

If your parents get home at 5pm why don't you ask if they can share a bit of the work with you. It's a little unfair that you and your brother have to do all of it.

Answer 11

No, that's not too much.

BTW, household chores are not a "job."  They are the responsiiblity of the people who live in and use the house.  Your parents put a roof over your head, food on the table and clothes on your back.  They pay the expenses.  Your part is to help care for the house.

Answer 12

Hi I'm 16 years old and I do a bunch of chores too, though not quite as much as you. I also don't get paid, but I don't mind. I do my chores without complaining because I know if I don't, they will. And I don't want them to have to do these things because they are already pooped from working all day. Don't think of those things as chores, think of them as things you do because you love your parents.

Answer 13

Yeah. My sister and I are the exact same ages and we do the same things, but instead of laundry, we wash windows and make everyone's bed.

And we don't have an allowance, either.

Answer 14

That's not "that much work", that's basic chores. You don't need an allowance--your reward is the roof over your head and the food on your plate.

Answer 15

No that is not excessive for at 12 & 15 yr old.   If you keep these things up, it will only take you a little while every day.  It isn't like you have HOURS of hard work each day.

I don't think you should be paid....sorry!   This is part of being a family, when things are tough - you toughen up and just get stuff done.