Chores for little ones

Yes toddlers can do chores, and no it's not mean to teach them some responsibility.

We started at 18 months with Sophie, just having her help pick up her toys at the end of each night. At first we made it game, Bret actually wanted to start helping at around 1 because we made it fun. I had been told I was mean for making my kids help at that age, and so on, but I ignored it. They enjoyed it, and I didn't care. Soon I had people asking how I got my kids to pick up their toys so easily. I told them, at first we made it fun, but then we just didn't give them a choice (around 3 Sophie decided she no longer wanted to clean her room, but I didn't give her a choice). They now pick up their rooms twice a day (before naps and before bed) without any help from me at all. It's just something they know they do now. 

Slowly we started adding more simple chores for them. First it was putting their dirty clothes in the hamper and putting their shoes in the shoe bin after taking them off. Then I realized Bret loved sweeping (he sucks at it, but that is not the point, the point of having them do these is to learn responsibility, not for them to be perfect at it). I started giving them the duster and sending them around the house dusting things for me (again, I usually need to go back and redo it, because they don't do the best job). Now I also give them a rag with some cleaning solution on it to wipe down walls and baseboards, their kids table, the coffee table, and the cabinet doors in the kitchen. I also make them pick up the big chunks of food from under the table before I vacuum. I have also had Sophie help with cleaning windows and mirrors. I spray the Windex on and she wipes down the mirror with paper towel.

Some days the kids don't want to help, but that is when I try to make it fun. I also started giving them each an "allowance" for doing what I ask without whining or fighting. I don't make it a set amount, because honestly they are only 4 and 3, but I will give them my lose change. Even though they really don't understand the concept of money, they get excited knowing that Mommy is putting something in their money jars. I recently counted it all up and Bret had about $10 American and probably about $2 worth of yen. Sophie had about $6 American and $2 worth of yen (looks like Sophie complains more than Bret about helping out). As they get older we will keep adding age appropriate chores for them. The one thing I don't have them help with at all is the bathroom because of all the chemicals I use in there. When I give them rags I use just a mild soap or cleaner, just to be on the safe side.