what do you expect a teenager from the ages of 15-18 years to do around the house

[starships1996]

would it be different for the different ages? would you say I do enough
make mum tea in the morning and when she comes in from work
sweep the floor while I am making the tea
washing up twice a day sometimes three depending on if I am in or not
hovering about four times a week
do you think I need to do more?

[wakemeupnow]

Depends if you are working hard at school or bumming around the house all day !

[louby44]

I would also say putting dirty washing into wash basket, putting clean washing away.

You could put some washing on and sort it out e.g. put onto airer, peg out (depending on what you do at your house). My mum taught me how to sort washing when I was about 16/17 and how to use the washer.

If you aren't working or in fulltime education I would expect a lot more!

[Ujjayi]

My DCs are 13 and 9. We share basic daily chores between them and DH & I, so that no one person is doing all of it all the time. THe chores we divide over the week are:

• Unloading dishwashers
• Emptying food bin & recycling bin (these are very small and emptied every day...not expecting a 9 year old to cart out a whole weeks' worth of waste!!)
• Making their packed lunches for the following day
• Hoovering their den & bedrooms
• Tidying bedroom (daily) & changing bed linen (weekly)
• Putting all dirty washing in the basket on a daily basis
• Putting clean washing away

I think it is great that you are helping out but personally I would say you could do a little more: putting on a wash and some ironing?

I think it is different for different ages. My eldest DS is expected to clean his bathroom (after pleading with me to have the guest bedroom as his own so he could have his own bathroom). I certainly wouldn't expect youngest DS (9) to be getting busy with the marigolds and bleach!

What does your mum think? Has she suggested you should be doing more? And are you in education/working?

[Purple2012]

Mine is 16. To get pocket money she empties the upstairs bins, does washing up and drying after tea, hoovers her room rarely does this, her own ironing
it stays in basket for weeks

[sunbathe]

No, I don't think you need to do more.

My teens are asked to keep their bedrooms tidy and vacuum it once a week.

Then they have a couple of jobs like cleaning sinks once a week. Nothing too onerous, but it helps out.

One dc, going to uni next year, cooks once or twice a week. Different things, to expand their repertoire.

[isitsnowingyet]

You sound absolutely marvellous - please come to my house - but why aren't you at school now??

[Madmog]

When I was that age, if I could avoid doing the washing up drying up I would! Having said that, once I reached 16 I took total responsibility for washing and ironing my own clothes, would cook for the family 2/3xweekly, did a lot of the food shopping and helped my Dad out occasional (for free) in his business. I would responsible for keeping my room clean and tidy (or not!). At that time I had a fulltime job, as well as doing a day release course with homework and two evenings classes.

If you're working fulltime or in fulltime education, what you're doing now maybe okay for some families. If you're not and both parents are working, might be worth seeing what else you feel able to do or if you notice the bathroom hasn't been cleaned/washing is building up etc for a few days as parents have been busy, might be worth doing them occasionally - I'm sure it would be appreciated.

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

My dd is 15

Her jobs are - cooking one night a week
Cleaning the kitchen one night a week
Hoovering, shared over the week with ds1
Taking laundry out of the drier and folding once a day because they got home before I do
Walk the dog in the morning, again shared with ds1
Making sure her sports kit is washed and ironed and ready for training/matches.

[ormirian]

Expect? Sleep late, stay up late in his room guffawing loudly at Yogscast, have troupes of monosyllabic mates come round to the house, grunt at us and then shuffle up to his room, leave an interesting collection of plates and cups in his bedroom, have midnight foraging expeditions to the kitchen.

Hope? Take responsibility for at least one regular weekly task, do the washing up in there is any lying around when he's at home, feed animals, do his own ironing, put his own washing in the washing basket, cook forr himself when no-one else is around, pick up DS2 from school once or twice a week, walk dog when I can't.

Get? A mixture of both....

[Shinyshoes1]

My 16 year old begrudgingly takes the dog for a 15 minute walk daily ... He does miss a few days though. I should get him to do more though . He's bumming around the house all day or out with friends

I have stopped all money though so he gets a little weekend job .

It hasn't given him the motivation to do that


I think those who help round the house , especially for Free are great :-))

[frenchfancy]

Mine take responsibility for their own laundry, unload the dishwasher daily, set the table for dinner and help out with 10 minute tidies on request (but then so does the 7 year old).

TBH I think she could do more, but she gets in quite late from school and generally doesn't cause problems so I don't push it.

It wouldn't occur to any of them to sweep the floor without being asked, but then I don't either, that is DHs job.

[neiljames77]

My youngest (16), does absolutely nothing around the house. She also does the emotional blackmail. She has a bus pass but insists that if I'm not at work, I should drop her off and pick her up and if I said no and something happened to her, it'd be all my fault. The eldest daughter (17) is a lot more independent and helps out a lot more (hoovering and washing up).

[survivingthechildren]

ooh this is my second chores thread this week!

I have 5 DC, the oldest of whom is DS(16). We had a major overhaul of household organisation earlier this year after I realised I should stop being an unpaid skivvy doing everything for my DC. DS1 does the following:

• Makes bed
• Changes linen (I've had this going for my DSs since puberty hit, less awkward for all parties )
• All dishes that he uses in the dishwasher
• All dirty clothes in the hamper/all clean washing away
• Have to be able see the floor in room
• Hoover bedroom and living room once a week
• Dishes twice a week

I also am (slowly) learning him the following:

• Laundry (he can do this, but the deal is that whilst he is in school I will wash all clothes that are put in the hamper)
• Cook basic meals
• Clean the bathroom
• Ironing

The last list is more basic skills that I hope he will be in the know about by the time he flies the nest! It looks like a massive list I know, but things such as making beds and putting dirty clothes are in the hamper are a no brainer (yet at times it would appear not...). I also expect a bit of initiative, i.e. if the dishwasher is full, run a wash!!

[DisgraceToTheYChromosome]

DD17 does random amounts of cooking, cleaning and laundry. This can range from a full roast dinner to pointing at a tray of garish cupcakes. Cleaning is a fortnightly spring clean accompanied by shouting at her parents for breathing on shiny surfaces. Laundry may include ironing, or exclude our underwear. Sometimes there is an invoice; I refused to pay VAT on the last one.

Frankly, she's more houseproud than we are, but makes more mess iyswim.

[mathanxiety]

Cleaning their own rooms, doing their share of laundry, putting their own clothes in the basket and then when washed putting them away, cleaning up after themselves in the kitchen and making sure the bathroom is left they way I would like to find it when they use it, including hanging up towels, clearing hair out of drain, leaving sink free of toothpaste. Leaving the sitting room tidy and straightening up cushions and coffee table when they're getting up. Putting remote in the basket.

On top of that, they help put groceries away, leave empty cartons and boxes out and not back in the fridge or cupboard, add items to the running grocery list we keep, put empty cups and plates in the dishwasher, empty the dishwasher when they come home from school, scoop cat poop as needed.

Lots of little details that are considerate of others in other words.

They also help prepare dinner and set the table and clear away.

I do the daily hoovering or wet mopping (allergies make this necessary) and deep clean the bathroom and kitchen. They dust and straighten bookshelves and other furniture if asked.

[mathanxiety]

They are 12 and 15.

[febel]

I have DEFINATELY gone wrong here...my YD does NOTHING beyond occasionally tidying her room (when it gets really bad) and changing her bed (she does these cos she hates me going in her room) She has got worse since going into 6th fomr, comes in , goes upstairs, on goes the I pad, and comes down for meal, eats, goes back up. Her middle sister by the way did quite a lot...without asking. I have just told YD, before I read this, that her pocket money is being reduced as she is doing nothing....