I recently started a series about how we can teach our kids responsibility every day! There are tons of opportunities for our kids to learn how to be responsible. In my last post, I told how I use packing for a vacation to teach my kids responsibility. If you missed it go check it out and download the free printable packing list for your kids before your next family vacation.
Check out How to teach your kids Responsibility: Packing for a Vacation Now!
For us, and many families across the nation, it’s the beginning of summer break!! It means a change of pace for most families. I get a break from planning our daily homeschool lessons, and my kids get a break from their regular homeschool schedule! However, we will not be completely lazy this summer! I am excited to focus on music, reading together, and (last but not least) learning to be responsible for some daily chores around the house! Today I want to tell you about how we teach our kids responsibility through daily chores in our home! 
Why do I give my kids chores?
Today, you hear about chores in such a bad connotation for kids. So often we feel guilty for asking our kids to do things. However, in my opinion, we are doing our kids a disservice if we don’t give them responsibilities. I know how to keep my house clean, and take care of my family now because I was taught and expected to help out around my house and take care of my things as a child! I don’t ever remember really dreading or being upset about doing chores. They were just a part of our routine. Now I look back and am so grateful that I was taught these responsibilities.
Also, if I had been paid to do everything I was expected to do, I would have trouble being motivated to take care of my responsibilities now! I don’t get paid to clean my bathroom. I do it because I want to take care of my home. We should expect our kids to make their beds, clean up their toys, put their clothes in the hamper, and do a few chores around the house every day! It will not hurt them! It will only help them by teaching them some discipline and responsibility.
Our job as parents is to teach and train our kids, not to just serve them.
If we do everything for our kids they will simply not learn to do things for themselves. When we pay them for every responsibility, we are setting them up to be people who feel entitled to a physical reward. Their sense of pride and responsibility will be diminished. To clarify, yes, we give our kids an allowance. Also, there is nothing wrong with paying your kids for certain jobs. (especially larger ones as they get older) However, in our home cleaning, up after yourself, taking care of your things and helping out is always expected. We need more people in our world who want to serve, help others, and do what needs to be done, simply because it’s the right thing to do. Our kids will not learn this if we don’t give them responsibilities!
How to Train your Kids to take Responsibility
So, you want to start giving your kids some daily responsibilities. The next step is figuring out how to make it happen! No, your kids probably won’t choose to get up every morning, make their beds, and start helping you clean the house! You will have to train your kids and probably remind them about their responsibilities for a while. But, I promise it will be worth it! This summer I have a daily responsibilities chart for my boys. They are used to their normal responsibilities. (i.e. making their beds, brushing their teeth, and cleaning up their toys) I also add a few summer jobs every day for them. Not too much, probably just 1 or 2 little jobs for them to do in addition to what we expect them to do every morning.
I made this very simple chart that has what we expect them to do every day already on it. I printed out a copy for each of my kids and laminated it. Now all summer long all I have to do is write in the 1-2 extra jobs I need them to do each day. Next, my kids check off each of their responsibilities with a wet/dry erase marker after they are completed!
You can download your own chart for your kids!
Look for the link at the bottom of this post to download your own Daily Responsibilities Chart for your kids! There are a few different formats for you to look at and choose what works best for your family!
Get your laminator out and laminate the sheets you want to use and get them ready for your kids. If you don’t have a laminator, go ahead and get one! It is one of my essential tools, that I use all the time as a mom! Each of my boys has a clipboard that I put their chart on and attach a dry erase marker to. If I don’t attach a marker I will be hunting for a marker for them every day! If you don’t want to use clipboards, find a place in your house to hang your kids’ charts. You could even attach magnets to the back and hang it on your fridge. Decide on a system you like and just go for it!
One important thing to remember:
Always expect your kids to do each of their responsibilities every day. If you see they haven’t done something, do not just do it yourself. Make sure your kids know why their responsibilities are important and understand why it was entrusted to them. What happens if it still doesn’t get done? If they don’t do it one day, then they should have to add it to the next day, meaning they will have extra chores. If you need to, don’t allow any video games or fun activities they are looking forward to, until they have completed their responsibility chart for the day. Find what works for you and your family and train your kids in it. Once it becomes a part of their regular routine, it will be second nature for them to take care of their responsibilities each day!
What types of jobs can my kids do?
Kids of all ages can do responsibilities and chores around the house. My 2-year-old can clean up his toys, help put his clothes away, match socks, and “help” sweep. No, not everything he does will be perfect, and it often takes twice as long to do any of these things with a toddler’s help. But, it is worth it for him to learn to help! As your kids get older you can expect more from them. My 5 and 7-year-olds can make their beds every morning, sort their laundry, unload the dishwasher, sweep, vacuum (with some supervision), dust, rinse their dishes and load the dishwasher, help weed and take care of the garden, and more. I let my kids help out with pretty much anything around the house that they are able to do as long it is safe for them!
One trick to teach your kids how to do these things is to simply invite them to be apart of what you are doing. Your kids will love to spend time with you helping out with what you are doing around the house. Also, they will be so proud when they learn to do the things that they see you do and why you do them. It is important to remember that everything you do can be a learning opportunity for your family!
Go ahead and click below and download some chore charts for your kids!
Also, I would love to hear from you! How do you teach your kids responsibility? Comment below with what works in your home! Do you have more questions about how to get your kids doing chores and helping around the house? I would love to help! Comment below or Contact me if you need some help! Happy Summer!!!
The reason I attached a small amount of money for each chore (5 cents when they were younger) was so that the kids would see that money and work go hand-in-hand. I never gave an allowance, but if my kids wanted to earn $10 in one week, they could clean the house from top to bottom.
I am a big believer in chores and teaching the kids from an early age they are part of the family unit. It builds confidence, time one on one teaching them, priceless!