Why Don't Kids Do Chores Anymore?

[Vicki]

MaScout hit it on the head, "But they will be young adults living on their own. They need to learn survival skills. " None of the things we're talking about are anywhere near what our kids will need to know to get ahead in a profession. But unless they start their careers hiring housekeepers and lawn services, they'll need to have these skills. In fact, unless they start their careers without ever having had a "grunt job" they'll need to know this stuff. Just like the requirement for a first year to shop for his patrol, stay in the budget and go over the food groups represented, we're talking about survival skills.

 

Because of what we do as an avocation, I would imagine we'll find the great majority of our kids do chores. I think I am a Scouter because I hold these ideals (was raised with 'em and think they're a pretty good standard) and therefore am raising my children that way.

 

In the long run I think my guys will get more value from knowing how to do their laundry, cook, buy groceries, mow and clean a house than they will get from knowing how to play soccer.

 

Revolutionary thought, eh?

Vicki

[gwd-scouter]

This topic reminds me of my sons' visits to their pediatrician. With each yearly checkup the Doctor would ask them a bunch of different questions: what do you like to read, what is your favorite subject in school, do you do chores at home. Yep, that's right. He asks them both if they do chores at home.

 

Over the years my sons have had varying responses to that question. Clean their room, yes. Clean their bathroom, yes. Help with dishes, yes. Feed the dog and clean water bowl, yes. Cut the lawn and help weed the gardens, yes. Clean out the garage, yes. Laundry, yes. Wash the kitchen floor and hallway, yes.

 

Did they do a good job? Nope. Did they do the jobs willingly? Nope. Did I at their ages? Nope.

 

My sons have always been very busy people (as some of you folks have posted) with school, homework, after-school clubs, scouts, band, sports. I also firmly believe that our children need time to just hang out and do nothing. But, a household is a family and each member has to do his/her part to maintain that household.

 

I don't know if it has been a result of doing chores, our influence as parents, or being scouts, or something else, but both of my sons are usually the last guys to leave an activity because they are helping someone with something. I am proud of them both for their desire and willingness to help others.

 

By the way, I do like Beavah's use of the word "service" rather than "chores." Service to one's family. That's nice. Maybe I'll start using that. Think my guys will do their "service" at home more cheerfully?

 

 

 

 

[EagleInKY]

Ditto some of the others, they didn't look at our house. Our kids clean their rooms and their portion of the house (upstairs), they feed the dog and help with general chores. My daughter enjoys cooking and often helps in the kitchen, especially when SWMBO isn't home to get things ready. My son does 90% of the mowing and landscaping.

[Vicki]

gwd-scouter wrote, "Maybe I'll start using that. Think my guys will do their "service" at home more cheerfully?"

 

(VBG) Let me know how that works for you, OK?

 

I have one who wades right in and gets the job done then looks around for something else to do and another who would just as soon somebody else do it...

 

Go figure,

Vicki

[flmomscoutw3]

Just like all of you, my sons do chores. The chores have increased in difficulty as they got older and were able to handle more. They may not be up to my standards all the time, but I do not redo them (at least not while they are around). WE all have chores to do. As a family it is how the home runs. They know that I write a check each month to our troop for camping, and they know that if they do not do the work at home then they must find work else where. Cleaning the bathroom, washing the dishes, doing laundry, vaccuming and the like may not be glorious, but they do know what the options are!

Are they busy with school work and other activites, YES, but so am I!

YiS

[Hunt]

I'm irked by the idea that it's an "excuse" that kids are working much harder today on schoolwork than they were 30 years ago. It's a fact. My estimate is that my 9th grader has 2 hours of homework per day more than I had at the same age. He also has more demands from other activities that we want him to do, and that are work for him--like music lessons. What does that have to do with chores? Well, I think that it's still important for him to do some chores, because he needs to understand, as others have said, that the family is a team and everyone must contribute. But I don't think that he needs chores to instill a work ethic, because he's already working hard. Of course, there are kids who aren't working all that hard, and are playing Nintendo all the time, but I suspect that what they mainly need is not more chores, but more discipline in getting them to focus on their schoolwork.

[MaScout]

Vicki says, "Because of what we do as an avocation, I would imagine we'll find the great majority of our kids do chores. I think I am a Scouter because I hold these ideals (was raised with 'em and think they're a pretty good standard) and therefore am raising my children that way."

 

Yeah! I wanted to say that, but couldn't figure out how in 500 words or less, so I left it out of my post. Well said, Vicki.