Household Chores for Teens (2024)

FAQs

Should my 15 year old do chores? ›

As your child enters their adolescent and teen years, household chores still play an important part in their growth. Chores contribute to the busy household and develop important life skills. Caring for shared spaces within the home also nurtures the concept of shared teamwork that will last into adulthood.

Teenagers can do their chores without supervision (unless it's a big job that could use some adult help for safety reasons). Because they usually have busier schedules than younger kids, keep an eye on their schedule to make sure chores don't take up more than a few hours per week.

Chores are a way to teach your teen about adult life. You can also weave money-managing skills into chores: consider giving your teen an allowance for doing certain chores or link chores to specific privileges. Make it clear that hard work leads to rewards, just like hard work at a future job will lead to a paycheck.

For example, appropriate chores for a 17-year-old would be doing their own laundry, cooking a meal, and mowing the grass — all skills they will likely need in the future. Chores are also how a young person can “pull their weight" in the family.

The answer to this question in international and domestic law is clear: a child is anyone under the age of 18.

Late Adolescence (18-24) Even though the 18-year mark is when we are legally considered adults, technically your child is still an adolescent until their neurological development is complete around age 24.

Set Clear Rules

It's important to establish clear rules, and to have consequences for breaking those rules. For example, the punishment for breaking curfew might be that your teen has to stay home the next weekend. You'll get less resistance if you involve your kids in designing their own consequences.

What age is appropriate for chores? ›

10 to 11-year-olds can change their sheets, clean the kitchen or bathrooms, and do yard work. Those 12 and above can wash the car and help out with younger siblings. Teens can help with grocery shopping and running errands.

Twelve-, 13- and 14-year-olds are quite capable of helping out with just about everything around the house. They can cook, help clean, do yard work, and wash the car. They can be totally responsible for doing their own laundry. Encourage babysitting younger siblings and doing pet chores.

Additional Chores: Adding chores to your child's to-do list can be a positive punishment. It may keep your child active while contributing to the maintenance of your household and avoiding the isolation of a lengthy time-out.

You should choose consequences directly related to the unacceptable behavior. For example, if your child skips a chore have her do an extra chore; don't take away TV. If she leaves a mess, have her clean two rooms; don't ground her for a week.

Tweens, pre-teens, and barely-teens (13-year-olds) can perform their duties around the house without you having to worry about a swat team busting in the side door like the Kool-Aid Man. There's no law against kids doing basic chores and household functions at any age.

Teens age 15 are working on understanding what it means to act responsibly. They are working to understand the rules and apply them in various settings. They are working on their own independence. They are increasingly taking care of their bodies (eating right, getting exercise).

While some parents rely on a set curfew, others make the rules fit he circ*mstances. For example, if your teen gets home from after-school activities at 7 p.m., a weekday curfew of 10 p.m. may make sense. On the weekends, maybe 11 p.m. is a more reasonable time. It depends on your family's schedule and your child.