Chores for teens

Teaching responsibility

Providing your teenager with a list of chores can help teach them responsibility and prepare them for life beyond living under your roof. There are many different kinds of chores that you can put on a teenager's chore list to have them help around the house, as well as learn valuable lessons and skills in the process

You can assign chores to teens of any age. They can do them for money or as part of earning their keep for living at home. Depending upon age and schedule, teens can do a variety of chores either on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. It's up to you as a parent or guardian to assign chores to teens and see them through to completion. Following are some ways you can do that successfully.

Determine which chores need to be done and when. Make a list either on the computer or with a pen and paper. You can also fill in a chore chart and place it on the fridge or in plain view of the entire family when it is time. Use a dry erase board and marker if you feel you will make changes.

Chore list for teens:

Cooking

Teenagers who do not understand what is involved in cooking a meal for the family can take the household meal provider for granted. Assigning your teen to cook a meal one night a week can help her/him better appreciate the time and effort that the usual meal preparer puts in to provide a good meal for the family. Provide her/him with a few recipes to start, so that she/he is not entirely overwhelmed, but allow her/him to do most, if not all, of the work. Make yourself available to answer any questions she/he may have.

Cleaning

This type of chore can go beyond just cleaning a bedroom. Have your teen clean a certain area of the house to a greater extent than just picking things up. Have him vacuum and dust, as well as ensure that all areas of that part of the house are arranged how they are supposed to be. Alternatively, you can have your teen do one type of cleaning on the entire house, such as vacuuming or cleaning all the floors in the house rather than just one area. This will help him better understand why keeping things tidy is important and how time-consuming cleaning can be.

Laundry

Many teens simply deposit their laundry into a basket and expect it to be returned to them washed and ironed. A teen who does not know how to do her own laundry once she leaves the house is often met with disaster or confusion when the laundry begins to pile up. Remedy this by assigning your teenager to do her own laundry every week or help with a portion of the entire family's laundry. This will provide her with useful lessons and help lighten the family's laundry load.

Outdoors

Having your teen help with the gardening work can be beneficial to both you and them. Have them rake leaves, mow the lawn or clean the pool. You can also have them help clean the gutters, tend gardens, in charge of "poop scoop" or anything else that you find needs to be done outside your home. This will help them understand, at least partially, what it takes to be a homeowner.

Article by : ehow.com