Chores for Foster Care Kids

Structure and Organization

• To specifically assign chores and spell out your expectations for everyone under your roof -- including your foster kids -- create a chore list for the whole family. Write each person̵7;s name on a white board, chalkboard or poster. Either assign regular chores for each person or rotate daily chores every week or two. You should use the same standards for your foster children as you do with the other children in your household when it comes to assigning chores and household responsibilities.

Responsibility and Experience

• Having your foster children complete some chores on a regular basis can help teach them responsibility, basic living skills and provide life experience, according to the Missouri Alliance for Children and Families. However, you need to ensure that the chores do not interfere with the children's time for school, studying, playing, sleeping, community activities or family visits. It's also essential to ease children into doing chores. Give them step-by-step instruction, showing them how to do a particular task. You should also supervise them when they start out until you are certain that they fully understand what you want them to do.

Types of Chores

• The chores you assign should be appropriate for the age of the child. For example, preschooler tasks should be simple one- to two-step procedures like making their beds, emptying small garbage cans or bringing in the mail, notes the WebMD website. Toddlers can do chores like putting away toys or putting clothes in a hamper, while school-age children can set the table, fold laundry, sweep, take the garbage out, do the dishes or vacuum the floor. Older children can learn to rake leaves or help with other yard work.

Allowance

• Your foster children might get allowances from the foster agency or receive money from other sources. As a foster parent, you are not required to give your foster children an allowance. According to the WebMD website, most experts say that chores should be all about learning responsibility and life skills -- and not tied to an allowance. However, in addition to doing regular, assigned household chores, you might want to offer your foster kids an opportunity to make some money by doing extra chores. Offering an allowance can motivate a child to work hard and also teach additional life skills like money management, saving and decision-making. If you offer your foster kids an allowance, also provide a safe place for them to store their money, like an old wallet or piggy bank, or set up a savings account with them in their names. If you choose the latter, talk to the foster care agency for their specific guidelines and state policies on co-signers and other bank procedures for foster children.