How old are your kids and what all can they do for themselves?

[mickeyboat]

Once when they were around the age of the original poster's kids, I was teaching them how to cut up a chicken. They each had one and were following my instructions. A neighbor dropped over and begged us to wait while she ran to the store to get a chicken so she could learn how. I continued the lesson and then had the kids show her how to do it. Sometimes you learn more from teaching someone else. (It didn't hurt that she told them how lucky they were to learn how to cook and care for a home!)

When I was about 12, I stayed home with my younger brother all summer. My parents signed me up for morning activities through the rec department (tennis lessons, swimming lessons, acting class, etc), and I was free all afternoon to ride my bike to the town pool with my friends. I had to be home later in the afternoon to start dinner.

One day my mom asked me to hang around the house because a repairman of some sort was coming over. She also asked me to cut up a chicken. I had no idea what I was doing, and the repairman noticed, so he showed me - nice guy! But holy crap! Times have sure changed and my parents were a lot more trusting than I would ever be allowing a stranger into the house with a 12 year old.

 

[hsmamato2]

I taught my 1st to do his own laundry at age 14....he's done it ever since... my kids learned to cook as they were growing up, and by age 6 could heat up stuff boil water,etc easily,plus cook simple stuff/follow recipes- by age 10 or so they were both fully kitchen competent- complete dinners,recipes,etc. my youngest is a real gourmet and creates a lot of original recipes, I can see him doing it for a living when he grows up- They know how to clean (when prodded) like a serious bathroom scrubbing,etc. dishes,garbages, wash the dogs,it's all part of helping out- they started mowing the lawn at around 11 or 12 years old (paid duties lol) Mostly I use their strong selves to haul heavy stuff for me now,since they've outgrown me,size wise....(all those muscles are coming in handy now)

 

[DLgal]

We have 7 and 9 year old boys. We started them EARLY on the "life skills" stuff.

My 9 year old has been folding and putting away his laundry since he was about 3. I do it mostly, but he CAN do it and will if I ask him.

Cooking is something they both love to do. My 9 year old started cooking for real around age 4. He can make marinara sauce from scratch (I cut up the onions, though), scrambled eggs, cinnamon rolls (the Pillsbury kind), personal pizzas (Boboli), macaroni and cheese, french toast, toast with nutella, cakes and cookies from scratch, etc. Pretty much anything he likes to eat, he can make himself and I let him. No fear of cooking or using the stove is allowed in this house. He has a healthy fear of fire and heat, and he takes the proper precautions. My 7 year old is getting into baking now and can do stuff from boxed mixes.

The 9 year old also takes out the trash (started this at 7y/o), both out of the house and into the bins, and then takes the bins to the curb and back on garbage day.

Both make their beds daily. Showed them how around age 5, and they do it now. I do the tricky stuff like change the sheets.

They are both responsible for cleaning up their room and playroom. Both must bus their own dishes at mealtimes. Oldest helps with unloading the dishwasher at times, although most cabinets are too high for him.

My oldest has loved to vacuum since he was about 5. I let him do it occasionally, and it's a real treat for him.

7 y/o son doles out the vitamins each morning. He loves that job.

I wouldn't leave them home alone probably until they are both middle school aged.

 

[hsmamato2]

Apparently, I can't load the dishwasher either. Every time I do, my DH takes the dishes out and rearranges them.

Oh...I have on of those too, a 'redo DH'.... sorry,OT

 

[Dani784]

My 7 (almost 8) year old has the most chores. He makes his bed and his little brother's. He keeps his room clean and organized. He feeds and waters the cats and cleans their litter boxes. He brings his laundry to the laundry room and folds and puts away his and his brother's clothes. He sets the table and clears it after meals. He wipes down the table and sweeps the floor. He cleans the bathrooms including the toilets. He picks up sticks and trash in the yard so we can mow. He helps take out the trash each week and helps carry and put away groceries.

We haven't started him on cooking yet but I think it's about time to teach him simple stuff. He can already make cereal or sandwiches but it's time for him to expand.

My 6 year old daughter has similar chores. She has to keep her room clean and make her bed and her sister's. She has to fold and put their clothes away. She holds the dustpan while her brother sweeps and has recently started cleaning the bathroom counters while he does the tub and toilets. She is also in charge of keeping her betta fish alive. Every now and then I have her keep an eye on the babies so I can shower or shave or something. She's really motherly and I trust her with them more than my oldest. She, too, knows how to make sandwiches and cereal.

My three year old daughter is only in charge of herself. Dressing herself (sometimes multiple times a day. She loves to change clothes!) getting herself to the potty on time (she's newly potty trained) and eating all her food. She is required to help clean up the toys and put her dirty clothes in the hamper. She also helps put away the silverware when unloading the dishwasher. She places the napkins when they set the table and likes to "help" me push the vacuum. She's really good at Windexing the screen door glass where she and her baby brother like to put their tiny handprints and she helps dust.

My one year old isn't really old enough to do much but he can help put toys away with direction and he can go where he's asked. For example, we say "Time to eat eat!" and he runs to his booster seat at the table. ("Eat eat was my youngest daughter's term and it stuck so he says it now too.) If we say "time to take a bath." he runs to the tub and tries to climb in. If we say "time to go night night." he runs to the gate at the bottom of our stairs and tries to scale it to go to bed. He really is shaping up to be a very obedient child! Unless we ask him to get dressed. The child hates to wear clothes! Lol!

We don't leave any of them alone yet because around here CPS is pretty strict on that even though there is no law regarding it here. I won't feel comfortable leaving them alone until they are at least 12. I started babysitting my little brother around that age so I think at least leaving the two big ones would be fine.