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Free Chore Chart Template for Kids

January 7, 2021 | Leave a Comment

Chore Chart Template for Kids

My kids started helping with chores when they were about 18 months to 2 years of age.  My oldest got his own little broom that would recite, “sweeping, sweeping” as he swept.  He loved that broom, and he loved helping out.  Most toddlers are eager to do what the people around them are doing.  If you have a toddler and want to start working with them on chores or you want a more organized chore routine for your older kids, consider using one of these free chore chart templates for kids.

Why Assign Kids Chores?

Some parents don’t want their kids to do chores.  They argue that kids should just be kids.  However, there are many valid reasons why you should assign your children chores:

They Learn Valuable Life Skills

When I went to college, I couldn’t believe how many kids didn’t even know how to do their own laundry.  My son started doing his own laundry at 12, and my daughter started at 11.  The larger variety of chores you have your kids do, the better they will be able to successfully live on their own.

They Learn to Contribute

There are many things that need to be done to run a household successfully.  If you don’t expect your kids to contribute, they can grow accustomed to the idea of others doing things for them, which can lead to a sense of entitlement.  The family is the first place kids learn what it means to be part of a group and to help run that group.  This, too, will be a valuable lesson for their adult lives.

Should You Pay Kids for Chores?

Chore Chart Template for Kids

Photo by Anna Earl on Unsplash

This can be another devisive issue.  Some families don’t pay their kids money for chores because they want them to realize that they are part of a family and family members help one another.

Others, like my family, pay their kids for chores because they want kids to firmly make the connection between work and income.  You work, and you earn money.  You don’t work, and you’re broke.

Still others don’t pay cash but instead let their kids earn privileges like watching a show, or playing a video game, or staying up late based on the chores they do.

The choice is up to you and what your family decides will work best.

Free Chore Chart Template for Kids

There is no need for you to create your own chore chart template for kids when there are so many out there!  Here are a few of our favorites:

Healthy, Happy, Impactful has a chore chart template that gives blank lines to list up to eight chores beside squares for days of the week.  Just check off each day that the chore is completed.  There is also a box at the bottom for notes.

Plan for Awesome has a chore chart template for toddlers.  This one is unique in that rather than words, there are pictures so your littlest helpers can understand.  You can also use the pictures and words for the preschool and early elementary set.

Make any one of these chore charts last longer by laminating them or placing them in a plastic sleeve so you can use them week after week.

Final Thoughts

There’s no time like the present to start having your kids help with chores.  These free chore templates can help motivate them and help them find pride in their accomplishments.

Read More

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Free Apps that Help Kids Manage Their Pocket Money

Melissa Batai
Melissa Batai

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in Arizona where she dislikes the summer heat but loves the natural beauty of the area.

Filed Under: Freebies for Parents, Household, Money and Finances, Parenting Blog at KidsAintCheap Tagged With: chores, free chore charts, raising independent kids, responsible kids, toddlers

Raising Polite, Responsible Kids

November 7, 2013 | 3 Comments

polite childrenThis past weekend, my daughter and I headed over to a friend’s house so our two little ones could play while we got caught up on the details of our lives. We started talking about a friend of ours and how her daughter, now six, had developed quite an attitude. Her mom and our friend, lets this little girl run her life. There is nothing this little girl doesn’t get. If she wants a chocolate bar for breakfast, she’ll eventually get it. If she wants to stay up until 11pm watching cartoons, she will.

Obviously I feel like this is an extreme case of bad parenting but I see aspects of this in many kids. I don’t know what or when it happened but sometime during my generation (30ish years) parents totally lost control. Please note that I am by no means trying to seem like I’m some sort of perfect parent, but one thing I will do is enforce and demand a few things of my child such as structure, rules and politeness, none of which this little girl has.

 

The Pleases and Thank You’s

My daughter is only 17 months and some of the first words I’m demanding she learn, are ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. I see kids everyday at my job (dentistry) and rarely do the children say please or thank you even if I give them a treat such a sticker or small toy. I’ve become so used to it I almost expect to not hear it. It’s such a simple thing but teaching simple manners like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ can go a long way.

Children learn from exposure. Anytime my daughter does something I ask of her (”please pass something to mommy”, ”could you pick up your toy, please?”) I always include ”please” and end with a ”thank you”. Even though she is just learning to talk she is beginning to understand what the two mean.

 

Chores

I have so many friends and family with kids who don’t enforce chores. I feel like chores are a huge part of development. The children help with the maintenance of the family home, while learning that there are expectations of them within this life.

My daughter may be young but she already has ”chores”. She helps me unload the dishwasher by me allowing her to take out the silverware and pass them to me one-by-one and I place them in the drawer. It takes about five times longer this way, but I appreciate her helping me and her learning that she is helping me. She also helps me feed the cat. I measure out the cat’s food, pass her the scoop and she dumps it in the bowl. She loves helping mommy. Again I always make sure to  thank her when she helps.

If you start young, and implement guidelines and responsibilities for your kids, your life will be much easier. Start with the basics and the more difficult tasks will be much easier. There’s nothing nicer than a young child knowing to say please and thank you without their parents needing to encourage them (though I like an encouraged please and thank you over none any day). Being polite and nice will go a long way in this world. Setting a strong foundation in childhood will be a life long help.

Do you encourage your children with manners and please/thank you?

Catherine
Catherine

Catherine is a first time momma to a rambunctious toddler. When she isn’t soaking up all that motherhood has to offer, you can find her blogging over at Plunged in Debt where she chronicles her and her husbands journey out of debt. You can also follow her on Twitter.

plungedindebt.com

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: good manners, polite children, responsible kids

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Basic Principles Of Good Parenting

Here some basic principles for good parenting:

  1. What You Do Matters: Your kids are watching you. So, be purposeful about what you want to accomplish.
  2. You Can’t be Too Loving: Don’t replace love with material possessions, lowered expectations or leniency.
  3. Be Involved Your Kids Life: Arrange your priorities to focus on what your kid’s needs. Be there mentally and physically.
  4. Adapt Your Parenting: Children grow quickly, so keep pace with your child’s development.
  5. Establish and Set Rules: The rules you set for children will establish the rules they set for themselves later.  Avoid harsh discipline and be consistent.
  6. Explain Your Decisions: What is obvious to you may not be evident to your child. They don’t have the experience you do.
  7. Be Respectful To Your Child: How you treat your child is how they will treat others.  Be polite, respectful and make an effort to pay attention.
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