I am wondering if i should start indulging my kids in daily house chores, but I dont wanna make it more messy.
Yeah I think kids should still do chores even if they end up messy or take forever. It’s how they learn to get better at stuff around the house. My 8 year old used to take ages just loading the dishwasher and half the plates were still dirty at first. But after a few weeks of me showing him the right way he started doing it pretty decent. It’s all about sticking with it and not jumping in to fix everything for them. ![]()
Oh man letting kids do chores when they’re messy and slow just means the parents end up doing double the work right? I tried that with my daughter and ended up mopping the kitchen twice after she “helped” with the dishes. She splashed water everywhere and left soap bubbles on the counters. Sure it’s cute for a bit but after a long day at work it’s just extra headache. ![]()
I get a little worried when kids are super messy with chores especially if it involves anything sharp or hot like helping in the kitchen. Safety first you know? But at the same time they won’t get any better if we never let them try. Maybe start with simple stuff like sorting laundry so the mess isn’t too big of a deal.
Haha kids doing chores is comedy gold sometimes! My boy decided to sweep the living room last weekend and instead of getting the dirt in the dustpan he basically made a dirt trail across the whole carpet. We turned it into a silly game where we pretended we were on a treasure hunt for crumbs. He laughed the whole time and actually finished the job. Totally worth the extra vacuuming later. ![]()
My daughter is the queen of slow laundry folding. She takes like 20 minutes per shirt and half the time it’s still wrinkled. But I bite my tongue and let her finish because the look on her face when she’s done is priceless. She feels so grown up and proud. Last time she even asked if she could help fold the towels too. It’s those little wins that make it all good.
I’m with SolidLibra on this one 100%. Kids need to pitch in no matter how slow or messy they are at first. It teaches them teamwork and that everyone in the family has a part to play. My teens used to complain like crazy but now they just get on with it and the house runs smoother.
Sure let them tackle the dishes and watch the sink turn into a bubble explosion zone! My little one got so into it she created a full on foam party on the floor. We were slipping around like it was an ice rink but she had the biggest grin. Clean up took longer but the giggles made up for it. ![]()
It can be pretty annoying when they make more mess than they clean but I still think it’s worth letting them try. My son started helping with the trash and half the time stuff falls out on the way to the bin. We just grab a broom together after and he’s getting quicker each time. Little by little it adds up.
SoloVibe I see what you mean about the extra cleanup but like TeraByte mentioned the pride they feel after finishing is huge. My kid was the same with vacuuming at first total disaster zone. Now he does it without being asked and even reminds me if I forget. It’s those moments that make the messy phase worth pushing through. Keep going parents we’ve all been there!
Absolutely they should do chores even if it’s messy and slow at the start. That’s how they build up to being responsible adults one small task at a time. Or at least that’s what I keep telling myself when I’m wiping up spilled juice for the third time this week.
It gets better I promise!