Article: "Why Don't Kids Do Chores Anymore?"

It was recently in the Wall Street Journal section. Can
someone please post it for those of us who don't subscribe?

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1...%5Fcoll%5Fleft


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"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty."
-- Author Unknown

Ablang wrote:
It was recently in the Wall Street Journal section. Can
someone please post it for those of us who don't subscribe?

Probably not legally if the Wall Street Journal has chosen not to make
its content available on the Web for free.

"Ablang" wrote in message
...
It was recently in the Wall Street Journal section. Can
someone please post it for those of us who don't subscribe?
....

Go to your local library and read it there.

....

Why would it matter if other people's kids did chores or not? My kids do
chores, and you should be the one responsible for having your own children
do chores. With a little bit of googling I found a list of age appropriate
chores:
http://www.familyfirst.net/parenting/chorelist.asp

HCN wrote:
...

Why would it matter if other people's kids did chores or not? My kids do
chores, and you should be the one responsible for having your own children
do chores. With a little bit of googling I found a list of age appropriate
chores:
http://www.familyfirst.net/parenting/chorelist.asp

I checked the list out of curiosity. DS#1 (turning 4yo next month) does
most of these(on the 2-3 and 4-5yo lists), but I can't imagine him
getting the newspaper or the mail(he helps with these...but I wouldn't
send him to do it by himself). Does that make me overprotective...or do
you think this is what they meant?

He had a load of fun sweeping the floor today while I started to
prepare dinner. He helped me with some of the dinner preparation as
well. Seemed to work out well...it gave DS#2 (9.5mo) some time to play
by himself without the older brother bugging him. He also helped me
carry several copies of a long report I had written (went to the postal
store to send off), and carried groceries for me too.

annette

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HCN wrote:
...

Why would it matter if other people's kids did chores or not? My kids do
chores, and you should be the one responsible for having your own
children
do chores. With a little bit of googling I found a list of age
appropriate
chores:
http://www.familyfirst.net/parenting/chorelist.asp

I checked the list out of curiosity. DS#1 (turning 4yo next month) does
most of these(on the 2-3 and 4-5yo lists), but I can't imagine him
getting the newspaper or the mail(he helps with these...but I wouldn't
send him to do it by himself). Does that make me overprotective...or do
you think this is what they meant?


No, I just consider them suggestions (we had a similar chart from the local
Children's Hospital). My youngest is 11, so I have conveniently forgotten
what I allowed them to do then. Though getting the paper or the mail would
not be a problem in our rather urban home (open front door, pick up paper...
pick up mail dropped through mail slot in door) --- BUT... it would be a
problem in my in-laws suburban neighborhood... walk across street and put a
key into mailbox in neighborhood mail center. AND even worse at my mother's
cousin house on a rural highway: cross highway carefully, trying not to get
hit by a logging truck speeding down the mountain!



He had a load of fun sweeping the floor today while I started to
prepare dinner. He helped me with some of the dinner preparation as
well. Seemed to work out well...it gave DS#2 (9.5mo) some time to play
by himself without the older brother bugging him. He also helped me
carry several copies of a long report I had written (went to the postal
store to send off), and carried groceries for me too.

annette


I do remember one thing from that age, loading the dryer. Take the laundry
out of the washer and put on the dryer door... and small child would then
push it into the dryer!

Start early, get them used to it. And your guys are still in the cute "I
want to help mommy and daddy!" stage.

That will change.

I reminded 16 year old twice to load the dishwasher, and now he claims to be
going to bed and dishes are still out! Too bad he was still in his day
clothes -- he is loading them right now! Child #2 is presently cleaning the
cats' litter box.

Fortunately game controllers are very easy to hide.

wrote in message
oups.com...

I checked the list out of curiosity. DS#1 (turning 4yo next month) does
most of these(on the 2-3 and 4-5yo lists), but I can't imagine him
getting the newspaper or the mail(he helps with these...but I wouldn't
send him to do it by himself). Does that make me overprotective...or do
you think this is what they meant?

Depends on the neighborhood, I suppose. I wouldn't think twice letting ds
(4.5) go to the end of the driveway for the newspaper and one of his chores
actually is to put out/bring in the mail. He loves it.

JennP.

HCN wrote:
...

Why would it matter if other people's kids did chores or not? My kids do
chores, and you should be the one responsible for having your own children
do chores. With a little bit of googling I found a list of age appropriate
chores:
http://www.familyfirst.net/parenting/chorelist.asp

Gosh, the 6-12 category is a bit wide. There's no way my 6 yo could
clean the bathroom completely. He does all of the 4-5 things though so
we must be on track (according to that list anyway!). Looking at the
list, most of the things he couldn't do would mainly be due to his
height and strength rather than ability.

Mary Ann

"Mary Ann" wrote in message
oups.com...

....
Gosh, the 6-12 category is a bit wide. There's no way my 6 yo could
clean the bathroom completely.

It looks like wishful thinking... I think my 11 year old could, but I am
pretty sure the 16 year old could not.

He does all of the 4-5 things though so
we must be on track (according to that list anyway!). Looking at the
list, most of the things he couldn't do would mainly be due to his
height and strength rather than ability.

Mary Ann

"Richard" wrote in message
...

I do disagree with at least one recommendation on that web site, though:

If the children complete all their chores for the week, they get
their allowance on Saturday. If they don't finish their work, no
allowance.

Teaching children finance and teaching children to contribute responsibly
to
their family's well-being are independent. I am not my child's employer,
I
am her father. She is my daughter, not paid help. Children receive an
allowance to teach them how to handle their finances, not as a reward for
good citizenship.

I understand what you are saying, but I do think a child should *earn* an
allowance. I'm not going to dole out money just for the point of teaching
financing skills. I want my kids to learn how to work for a dollar.

That said, I agree that finance and responsibility can be taught
independently. There's no reason a child can't do chores without receiving
an award, I just can't really see giving a financial handout every week
without some type of accountability. If we do an allowance, they will have
to earn it.

JennP.