I get asked from time to time if I have my kids help out with chores? If I do, do I pay them? My answer is simply this...we are a family. A family that works together, plays together and needs to co-habitate together! I do not pay my children to help out around the house as we are a unit. A team. And we want to instill good habits within them now! I do not pay them! In fact you will see from time to time on Instagram (My name is britchesnboots) that I use the hash tag #Ipaythemincookies! I do not feel the need to pay my children to help out! I do not make them do major amounts of chores and they don't do them daily! BUT I do want them to learn that when mommy needs help they should be capable of stepping in! I feel as though I purchase many things for my children...the random movie that is on sale at Target. Or a cute toy I knew they wanted super bad and I found a great deal on it! We go out to donuts and hot cocoa a lot. And when I have excess amounts of change in my purse I tend to give to them so they can put in their piggy banks. Because of this, I do not pay my children nor do I want them to get in the habit of thinking they need to get paid to help out {I do not have a problem with other people paying their kids to do things! Please do not take this in the wrong context!!}


I started having my kids help out as soon they started showing interest! With small things like helping put dirty clothes away. Sitting on the counter during dinner prep and helping to toss the salad! My kids have all started cooking in the kitchen hands on with me since the age of 18 months! I can still remember Emily Grace's very first thing she made...chocolate chip cookies! Was there a mess afterward? Sure was! Did she have fun? You bet! Did she learn the ability to help mom? Yes indeed! At ages 2, 4 and 6 my children can make banana bread almost better than I can! Of course they are sitting on the counter while they do it but the farm girl in me wanted them to have these sorta character building opportunities! I too this day do not regret it!

Ava Faith is 2. Her chores are:

1. Empty the dryer into the laundry baskets and push to the side of the couch.
2. Assist in loading the dryer (I hand her the items...she places inside)
3. Put away her toys.
4. Help put shoes away in appropriate rooms (you know the never ending pile that accumulates by the back door!)
5. Assist with dinner prep or baking.
6. Put away folded socks in drawer.

Periodically I add things to her list. But only because she asks if she can help! I figure if I can catch them while they are young...its better than having teenagers that are yelling and complaining about making their own beds!





Noah is 4. His chores are:

1. Take personal dishes and put them in the sink (dumping food and napkins in garbage).
2. Wiping down the dining room table.
3. Making his bed.
4. Dusting.
5. Washing windows (Can't guarantee they will be sparkly...but you know what. I don't care! As long as its done with a happy heart...who cares!)
6. Put away personal laundry in appropriate drawers.
7. Feed the cat.
8. Take empty bottles, cans etc to recycling in the garage.
9. Help unload and put away clean items in dishwasher.
10. Helping with dinner prep and baking.

Noah argues with me to WHY he can't do some of the stuff his big sister gets to do! He actually is dying to turn 6 so he can add more jobs to his chore list! It makes me laugh really!





Emily Grace is 6. Her chores are:

1. Making her bed. (often times she gets to my bed before I can!)
2. Dusting.
3. Washing windows.
4. Unloading groceries from the car.
5. Putting away folded laundry.
6. Vacuuming (This was one she LOVES to do! Its funny how as a parent its actually kinda hard to teach them...don't run over the cord. Hold it upright here etc! But once they learn they LOVE it!)
7.  Put water out for the cat.
8. Waxing the coffee table. (we have a coffee table that the wax just sucks dry if wet...so we wax it once a week!)
9. Help fold laundry (its not perfect but its done!)
10. Clear table (her sisters dishes and her own etc)
11. Assist with dinner prep and baking.
12. Help clean out the car.
13. Always look for other things that need to be done (she keeps a watchful eye and asks "can I help with that?")

I love her happy heart! She wants to do chores even when I DON'T want them to do chores! She is cheerful and is definitely a doer! 

I don't think a child is ever too young to learn how to help out! What are some things that YOUR kids do? Maybe they are helping out already and you hadn't really thought about it! When the topic of money comes up from my kids we tend to ask them if they would rather get paid for their chores or receive small gifts and fun treats from time to time like they already do? They always say they don't want to get paid! Have a blessed day!