How kids can help out around the home

Every mother needs help around the house with chores, cooking, laundry, cleaning and much more, and as part of the family, children can pitch in with chores.
Children, even at a young age, can help out with simple chores. Even if it’s not exactly the way mom likes the chore or task done, at least the child will get involved at home and learn responsibility.
The following, courtesy of Newspaper Metro, gives suggestions on how kids can help around the house.
Dual-income households have become the norm, replacing households in which only one parent works. In an analysis of the Decennial Census and the American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample files, the Pew Research Center found that 60 percent of married couples with children under 18 lived in dual-income households in 2012.
That’s nearly double the amount of households where only fathers worked, and 10 times the number of households where only mothers worked.
Parents who both work full-time have less time to maintain their homes, and few may have the energy to keep up with the chores and cook dinner each night.
Involving the kids with helping out around the house can be a great way for parents to instill a sense of responsibility in their youngsters while also taking some of the burden off Mom and Dad.
The following are a few age-specific chores kids can do to make life at home a little easier on their parents.
Toddlers
Toddlers and preschool-aged children might not be able to do too much to lighten their parents’ loads, but simple chores like cleaning up their play areas can make things easier.
Make kids responsible for putting their toys away after play time. Kids between the ages of two and three also can help set the table for dinner by laying out placemats, but make sure such youngsters steer clear of utensils.
4- to 5-year-olds
Children finishing up preschool and those currently enrolled in kindergarten can pitch in a little more around the house than they did as toddlers, setting the table for meals (prevent kids from accessing sharp utensils like steak knives) and even helping with some simple meal prep. Such youngsters can put their folded laundry away and clean their rooms as well.
6- to 9-year-olds
First-, second-, third- and fourth-graders are old enough to be given more significant chores than they had when they were younger.
Kids between the ages of 6 and 9 can be trusted to feed the pets, though parents should teach them the appropriate times to feed pets each day and the correct amount of food to place in bowls so pets don’t overeat.
Kids in this age group also can rake leaves and water plants around the house after being taught how to properly water each plant. Folding laundry, dusting furniture and bookshelves and taking out the garbage are a few more tasks kids between the ages of 6 and 9 should be able to handle.
Children 10 and older
Kids who are 10 and older can help out in ways that can make parents’ lives much easier.
Such youngsters can clean bathrooms, do laundry, vacuum the floors, and load and unload the dishwasher.
Such chores are time-consuming and complex, and parents may want to give older kids allowances or increase their allowances to show their appreciation.
Adolescents
Adolescents can be trusted to make simple meals and babysit their younger siblings, saving parents time and money. If adolescents babysit, consider paying them for their time even if they already receive an allowance.
When giving kids additional responsibilities around the house, parents should realize that kids won’t always be perfect when doing their chores. Resist the temptation to do chores for them, and praise and encourage kids when they do things right.