How to Assign Chores to Teens

Your teenager is just a few years away from leaving the nest. He might be clamoring for more responsibility and freedom, pushing boundaries and spending less time at home. The teenage years might not seem to be the best time to hand over a list of chores to your kid. If your teen doesn't do the chores, it might seem like more effort to nag or argue with him than to just do the chores yourself. But giving your teenager chores and expecting him to complete them is an essential part of his growth and development.

Instructions

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      Create a list of chores that you need your teen to do on a regular basis. Divide the list into categories and sort the chores by difficulty. Include categories such as meal preparation, laundry and outdoor work, if you have a yard. Tasks for the laundry category include washing clothing, folding clothing and ironing, while tasks for meal preparation can include chopping vegetables, setting the table, and loading or unloading the dishwasher. Decide what chores are appropriate for your teen's skill level, what chores are best left to you and what chores younger kids can handle.

    • 2

      Pick chores for your teen that are relevant to him and that will help him learn to live on his own. Laundry is an ideal chore for many teenagers, as they will soon go off to college and will need to know how to use the washing machines and dryers in the dorm. If the chore is completely new to your teen, start small and expect a steep learning curve. For example, assign your teenager the chore of folding and putting away his clothes if he's never used a washer before. After he gets the hang of that, teach him how to clean and dry his clothing.

    • 3

      Rotate chores that don't directly related to your teenager if you have more than one teen at home. For example, one teen can mow the lawn one week, then her brother can mow it the next. One teen can set the table and clear up after dinner for a week, and the other can handle those tasks the next week.

    • 4

      Set a deadline for each chore. Some tasks need to be done every day, such as meal preparation, while others are a once- or twice-a-week task, such as laundry. Tell your teenager to have the bed made before he leaves for school and dinner cleaned up within an hour after the meal. You don't have to be so strict with occasional chores. For example, ask your teen to mow the lawn by the end of the week, but don't nag him every day until he does it.

    • 5

      Create a chore chart that lists each chore, how often it needs to be completed and who it is assigned to. Hang the chart in a central location, such as on the refrigerator. When your teen has finished each chore for the day or week, she can check it off on the chart.

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