Age-appropriate chores?

I'm trying to put together a chore/sticker chart for the kids...What do you think are age-appropriate chores for ages 2.5, 5.5 and 6.5?

I think that the 5 and 6 year olds should be able to make their beds in the morning? All three should be able to help set the table and clear it after meals?

Do you give your children an allowance?

Kris

Hi Kris,

The allowance thing has been a frustration in our family. We have tried it several times but with our financial situation we couldn't always keep the allowance up. Even when it wasn't that much. We figured the weekly allowance to approx. 50 cents per year of the age of the child. Does that make sense? Jacob would get $5 (he is almost 10), Zach (7) $3, and Tyler (5) $2. Jacob has quite a few more chores than the other boys. Lucky kid! Are problem is not being consistent.

As far as age appropriate chores. My 7 year-old puts the clean dishes away in the morning, feeds the dog, and makes his bed, cleans his room. At night he helps set the table and is supposed to help straighten up the living room before bed.

My older son also makes his bed, cleans his room, feeds the dog at night, puts dishes away (Jacob and Zach split this chore), helps in the nightly clean up. He gets the additional chores of once a week mowing the lawn and cleaning the kids bathroom. I haven't started him putting the dishes in the dishwasher but that is coming soon! He gets the additional duties of feeding his brothers breakfast and watching them for me which are not counted on his list of chores.

Tyler cleans his room, makes his bed, and helps with setting the table on a daily basis. On a weekly basis he also gets to help sweep the back patio and front walk. He also gets to clean the walls (at least where he can reach.)

My 2 year old really doesn't have any set chores. He can help put things on the table, he gets the mail and newspaper for me. He definitely does not make the bed but he can put some of his toys away.

I don't know if that helps or not. This is just what we have done so far. We are far from perfect in this area.

Robin

I appreciate your comments, Robin..the problem that we have had has also been with being consistent, which is why we really want to rethink it this time before we start. We tried a chores thing/sticker chart a while back and it worked great for awhile but I gradually let things slide...and so I want to make something workable...I don't see the kids being able to do chores before school...but I think that they would be pretty willing afterwards...

I like the .50 per year thing....they could save half and spend the other 1/2 in the dollar store....do your kids save part of theirs? My parents never really did that with us and I was thinking that it would be a good idea to teach money management with their allowance....maybe they would end up being better managers of their money than we are

thanks,

Kris