Are you looking for a list of chores that you can give your teenage son or daughter?
Chores that are not only age-appropriate, but also ones that will help them feel like they’re contributing to the household while also developing useful life skills?
Some children are more willing and eager to help than others, especially if they started doing chores as a young child, which for some kids can be as young as three!
But whatever your child’s attitude or experience to date, read on to discover why it’s so beneficial to give your child jobs around the house, and to help create a list that works for your family with our ultimate chores list for teenagers.
Table of Contents
Benefits Of Chores
Did you know that research shows that giving your child chores can be beneficial for their development?
Five of the most important reasons to assign chores to your son or daughter include:
1. Teach Life Skills
At some stage in life – usually when your child leaves home for the first time – they need to do those essential things like cooking, cleaning and laundry themselves.
Once your child leaves home and has to fend for themselves, they’ll be glad they had a head start and already know how to do these vital jobs.
2. Learn About Responsibility
Duties like looking after a younger sibling, taking a dog for a walk or even watering the plants all teach teenagers about responsibility, self-reliance and the fact that life comes with duties that cannot be ignored or neglected or else someone else’s welfare will be negatively affected.
Your house can only function properly if everyone works as a team, and your child should see that if one person in the team doesn’t do their part, everything could come crumbling down.
3. Develop Appreciation & Gratitude
With any luck, once your 16 or 17 year starts doing certain chores for the first time – for example driving to the grocery store or mowing the lawn – they will realize that these things take time and effort,
And what’s more, they’ll hopefully appreciate that mom and dad have been doing these things for years now, on top of everything else it takes to raise a child.
4. Learn About Teamwork
It’s impossible to get anywhere in life without others, and a strong team is essential for success in all areas of life.
Teamwork is dreamwork as the saying goes, and being part of the family means being part of the team that helps the home run smoothly.
5. Develop Confidence & Self-Esteem
That feeling of satisfaction that comes from doing a job well done is vital for a child’s development, especially if they are struggling in other areas.
Similar to the proven benefits of making your bed each morning, seeing a job through to completion can help a child in many ways including helping to develop their confidence, sense of achievement, self-esteem and accountability to name just a few.
Chores For Teens
Here are 15 of the best chores for a teenager:
- Taking out the trash and recycling.
- Cleaning the house including mopping, vacuuming and dusting.
- Cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms.
- Grocery shopping.
- Cooking and prepping meals.
- Setting and clearing the table for family meals.
- Washing the dishes, loading and unloading the dishwasher.
- Looking after younger siblings which could include babysitting and helping them with their homework.
- Looking after your pets which may include feeding and taking them for a walk.
- Watering the plants.
- Mowing the lawn.
- Gardening or other yard work.
- Doing the laundry.
- Cleaning their room, which includes changing their bedsheets.
- Cleaning the car.
Tips For Getting Your Teenager To Do Their Chores
Let’s face it, persuading a 14, 15 or 16 year old to do their fair share of chores is often harder than it sounds.
Some tips to get your child to complete their chores include:
- Make sure your child knows what you’re expecting from them, and provide clear instructions of what a job well done looks like.
- Share the tasks around the family – remember this isn’t a dictatorship, so everyone should be helping out.
- Lead by example – if your teenager sees you doing all the chores you’ve asked them to do when it’s your turn to do them, they’re more likely to actually do them.
- Consistency is key.
- Create a chart that’s clearly visible, so that everyone knows what their job is for that day / week.
- Remember to praise good behaviour and when a job is done really well.
- Avoid using chores as a punishment.
- Don’t expect perfection – your child probably won’t be able to deep clean the kitchen as well as you can, and that’s fine. It’s their attitude and consistency that’s most important.
- Consider introducing rewards, for example you could give your child pocket money provided they’ve completed all their chores for the week.
Conclusion
Giving your teenager some chores or other tasks is a wonderful way to teach them what it really takes to run a home smoothly.
Talk to your teenager to figure out which tasks are most appropriate for them and for your particular situation, then develop a plan together so they feel shared ownership.
You may have some initial resistance, but it’s well worth it when you consider you are not only teaching your child essential domestic skills, but also helping to develop their confidence, self esteem and the importance of vital life skills including teamwork, responsibility and self-reliance.
What more could easier of you ask for!
