How to Make a Printable List for Household Chores
If you feel more like a maid than a mom, involve the entire family and assign different household responsibilities to each member. As children develop, they can tackle a greater number and greater difficulties of tasks, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, on the HealthyChildren.org website. For example, grade school-aged kids can make their own beds, pick up their toys and help with light yard work such as raking leaves. Teens can complete more complex chores such as washing the dishes, preparing lunches for school or vacuuming. Instead of telling your children who should do what, create a printable list that details each person's daily or weekly chores.
Things You'll Need
- Computer
- Word processing program
- Printer paper
- Printer
Instructions
Brainstorm which chores you need to put on the list. Write down the tasks that are necessary for your home to remain clean and run smoothly. Include tasks that range in scope and ease or difficulty to complete. For example, write a range of chores that start with simple duties such as putting toys in a toy box or setting out place mats on the dinner table, and then move onto more complex tasks such as mopping the kitchen floors or making dinner. Group the chores into age-appropriate ranges. Include different tasks for your children's ages. Write a category heading for basic chores that a young child could easily do such as putting books back on a shelf after reading time. Then, write the chores that are a mid-level difficulty that your grade schooler could accomplish and then write complex duties for a teen or adult family member. Assign each category or specific chore within the categories to a child or adult family member. Note the person's name next to the grouping or chore. Create a table in a word processing program. Make one horizontal row across for each family member and one column for each day of the week. Type each family member's name in the far left column. Add the days of the week to the top row. Save a blank copy of the chore list to update or change in the weeks and months to come. Fill in the table spaces with the specific chores from your list. Add daily chores such as picking up toys or making a bed to each day space. Type or write other chores that are done once or a few times a week, such as mopping the dining room floor, to the appropriate space. Print your chart on white printer paper.
