Tidbit # 25- Empowering Responsibility: House ‘Jobs’ for Children

September 27, 2023

Empowering Responsibility: The Benefits of Fun Household ‘Jobs’ for Children

Classroom jobs are beneficial for teachers and learners in any classroom setting. 

Rotating classroom jobs and weekly responsibilities offers many benefits:

  1. Increased student responsibility
  2. Developing life skills
  3. Improved classroom management
  4. Enhanced peer relationships
  5. Development of leadership skills
  6. Empowerment and engagement
  7. Sense of ownership

It’s important to implement this practice for children in their home environments too!
Parents, you should consider implementing “jobs” in your household. They don’t have to be dreaded chores that lead to arguments. Instead, consider your child interests and preferences when delegating tasks.

Consider these fun household “jobs”:

Tabletop Magician 

Kids can help set the table for meals, including placing plates, utensils, and napkins.

Beast Buddy

If you’re a family with pets, children can be responsible for keeping their food and water bowls full. They can walk pets or be in charge of playtime. 

Forest Ranger 

Water indoor and outdoor plants, mow the yard, pull up weeds, blow off the driveway, and pick up sticks. 

Sparkle Ninja ~ Dirt Buster  

Assign specific cleaning duties. Cleaning the kitchen table after a family meal, wiping down windows, dusting surfaces around the house, such as shelves, tables, or picture frames. Children can help sweep or vacuum floors, depending on their age and ability.

Junk Jedi 

Collecting trash and/or dirty dishes from bedrooms and community areas throughout the house.  Depending on their age and the size of the trash bags, kids can help take out the trash and recycling bins.

The Laundry Maestro 

Matching socks, sorting dirties by color, collecting from around the house

By involving your child in age-appropriate household tasks or “jobs,” you are not only teaching them practical life skills but also instilling values like teamwork, accountability, and a strong work ethic. Moreover, by tailoring these responsibilities to your child’s interests, you can make the experience more enjoyable and less of a burden. This not only contributes to a smoother-running household but also strengthens the parent-child bond as you work together toward shared goals. Children want and need to feel capable and significant. Assigning them roles and responsibilities can help! 

Hannah Hill Park

Masters of Education, Pfeiffer University

Associate Director of Innovation

K-12 AIG, K-6 Elementary Education Teaching Licensure

Scholars Academy for the Gifted & Artistically Elite

Adjunct Professor of Education, Pfeiffer University

Board Member of The NC Association for the Gifted & Talented

Podcast Host of NCAGT Talent Talk

Mom of 1 Future SA Scholar