Do your DCs have jobs to do around the house?

[TheMoistWorldOfSeptimusQuench]

And if so what, and at what ages?

Nearly triggered an international diplomatic incident today when I asked DD (nearly 5) to lay the table

[Hulababy]

Nothing specific or relgular, but DD does help around. She is 5yo. She knows she has to tidy her toys away. She will also help laying or learing the table, general tidying, sorting out socks after washing, wiping down surfaces, etc.

[PavlovtheCat]

she wipes down her highchair tray after eating. She is 11 months. Is that too early?

[ChasingSquirrels]

ds(4) has to help tidy his stuff up, helps me empty the dishwasher when I ask, has to clear his plate from the table, put dirty clothes in laundry basket after bath when asked (sometimes I just pick them up, sometimes I ask him to), helps lay the table at my mums (we don't lay the table), can't think of anything else atm

[PavlovtheCat]

oh and she puts her clothes away in her drawers for me...

[EllieG]

DSD (8) is responsible for tidying her room (my initiative didn't used to do before I was on the scene and DP used to have BIG arguments with her about it - hurrah for me) (smug emoticon)
She also lays the table, takes her plate out to the kitchen and has recently started to go the (just round corner) shop for milk or similar when needed. Um, what else? In general has to tidy up any mess she makes think that's it

[EllieG]

Oh yes I forgot she puts her clean clothes away too

[fransmom]

at 11 months pavlov?

dd is 2yo and has to help(her choice) when i do washing - she has to put the powder in the drawer, close the drawer and turn on the machine. when we're baking, she tries to sweep up before i finished with anything floury

[EllieG]

Oh dear am I horrid and make her do too much?

[hoxtonchick]

no, but ds voluntarily cleared the table & filled the dishwasher today. he's 5. i was very impressed!

[fransmom]

well done master hoxton

ellie i don't think so

[PavlovtheCat]

Frans - what can I say, she is well trained . She geabs the cloth off me and 'wipes' her tray down, she enjoys it. It is also part of her ritual of an evening before bed that she goes into her bedroom and roots through her drawers. In the morning, she spends 10 minutes pulling everything out, deciding what to wear. In the evening when I or DP reads her story, she stands in the same spot, putting all the clothes back in again. She is very particular, doesnt like being stopped until all the clothes are in, and if an arm or leg sticks out she puts that bit in too.

She is clever.

[PavlovtheCat]

I do not wish to curb her obviously natural instincts of domestication. As soon as she can make my breakfast, she will be doing it

Seriously though, 5 years old is a good age to be involved in the family routines, including laying table, cleaning up after dinner, putting things away. Children like to emulate adults, let them be part of it all.

[fransmom]

i can't remember what dd was like at 11mths i had/have pnd

[TheMoistWorldOfSeptimusQuench]

V impressed at Pavlov's DD cloth-action

So,if they have regular tasks & they then refuse or make a stink about doing it, would you mete out a punishment? Withhold pocket money?

[ChasingSquirrels]

doesnt happen very often, but when it has i tell him that we are all part of this family and we all have to help each other, and if he won't do xyz now then i won't be doing something for him next time he asks - and then carry it through.
when he doesn't want to help put his stuff away I just tell him that if i have to do it, i will be putting it away where he cant play with it for a week, that happened once.