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I completely and utterly agree with you.Childhood is too short for kids to be laden down with dozens of jobs everyday.

As a mom of ten there is a lot to be done around our house but I believe thses jobs for the most part to be mine and my husband's responsibility. My kids are expected to keep their own rooms tidy and make their bed in the morning after that I ask for help setting the table for dinner and clearing up afterwards,feeding/walking the dogs(which they locve doing anyway)-the heavy jobs like laundry and vacuming my husband and I take care of and the odd time I will ask the older ones (14&13) to do the vacuming or mow the lawn or something.

Other than that my kids are expected to and do have respect for our home-they do not take a glass of milk and leave the empty glass in the t.v room etc.they will always put it into the dishwasher or at least if they don't they will be instructed to do so-we are parents not full time cleaners.

Our system works out really well and every now and again we have a big clean up where everyone chimes in.

It is important that each has a small job in the house so they learn how to work as a team and not to take everything for granted but as a whole kids are kids and I agree should be left to enjoy their freedom.

I think there needs to be a balance. Kids need time to be kids, not housework slaves, but they also need the responsibility of doing age-appropriate chores. Giving them no work at all sends a message that they get everything in life for free. Making them do ALL of the housework sends the message that they are just your slaves.

It's a way to earn their allowances, learn responsibility and give mom a bit of a break. They are a part of the family and they need to contribute to the family in whatever way is appropriate for their age/ability.

There's also a safety factor. A 10 year old should not be handing hot things like stoves and irons, a 5-year-old may not even be able to lift the garbage bag out of the bin, or lift it into the can. And I don't trust kids under age 12 with my good dishes! If they need a step-stool to do the dishes they're too young and likely to break something simply because they don't have the hand strength to keep a grip on soapy, slippery stuff.

Right now my teen boys take turns doing the dishes, cleaning the cat litterbox and taking out the garbage, I do the cooking and the laundry and the sweeping/cleaning. Hubby is the repair-man (and with all our old stuff he's busy with that). Everyone picks-up basic stuff. My pre-teen daughter assists everyone in their chores by doing things like putting away washed dishes and holding the door for the brother who's on garbage detail. Everyone puts away their own clean laundry.

I could cook the dinner, make my own clothes, do the washing, gardening, etc. and had an evening job after school, from 11 onwards.

It didn't stop me having fun, being childish or rebellious at times. I left home at 18 and have supported my self financially ever since.

I knew how to budget, shop and keep a decent flat.

We expect our children to grow up in so many ways now by confronting them with sexual issues, drugs, consumerism, war and violence, so why not a few household chores?

Perhaps in learning to take responsibility for what happens at home it will spill out into the street.

Chores are much more labour friendly now, most people have washing machines, some have dish washers.

We are not talking Charles Dickens here, just growing up and learning to take responsibility for things.

I would be awful to think that an 18 year old or even a 16 year old might leave home without knowing how to look after themselves.

LOL Yeah i happen to agree with you children should be children but should also tidy up a little after themselves.

My 3 year old has bee taught to tidy her toys away after she plays with them incase they get broken, an she loves to stand at the sink and wash a few bowls, she helps feed the pet but wow no way am i letting any ofmy kids near the iron until they are 12/13 and then that will only be to show them how to do it...

Best thing a mother can do for a child is let them grow at their own rate....my job is the housework and the kids

i completely agree- i'm 12 and i do stuff like load the dishwasher- hoover- dust, that sort of stuff. I think that it's dangerous to let young children do things like ironing. My mom has taught me how to iron and use the washer and dryer, i know how to cook, clean and run a household- but that doesn't mean i do it! I've been taught so i can do it when i live on my own. I think it's lazy of parents to but that much stress on a child. We get piles of homework as it is! I would hate to have to come home from school and then have to do all the cleaning. Children need time to rest their brains and bodies. If the parents don't want to cook or clean hire an o-pair! We find a bit of housework fun- should we not have to do it as a chore!

I really loved to iron when I was a kid. It was the dishes that I hated. Actually, I think kids need to do all sorts of chores when they are growing up. They need to learn the teamwork aspect of being part of a family. Everyone pitches in. Also, the whole point of childhood is to learn to be an adult. If children have grown up doing the various things necessary to take care of themselves and the home, it will make life much easier for them as adults. They will have greater confidence that they can take care of themselves. There is plenty of time to play and do chores. And it isn't necessary for children to the same chores every week. They can be put on a rotating schedule, one week they do the dishes, the next week the ironing, etc. I actually think that your friend is an exception to the rule. She has issues.

You need a balance. Children should not be forced to do all your housework, but I believe that they should be responsible for making their beds, tidying their rooms, cleaning up behind themselves - taking dishes to the kitchen, putting toys away. We had additional chores, like having a dog meant cleaning up the garden of doggy poo and washing the dogs. We took that in turns.

I don't remember doing the dishes, but I remember helping around the house (talking about under the age of about 10 here). I think that making your child do everything is a cheap way of having a maid. For every 10minutes I worked in the house, I had 30minutes to play, or read

When my daughters get old enough when they get their first period then they will be taught how to cook, do laundry, be a good wife and mother. My sons might just have to make their beds, and put their laundry away. If my husband is at work then I might have the oldest son go and get groceries or other things that I might need for the house. I'll be doing most of the chores around the house and cooking three meals a day while watching my kids at the same time and help the kids with their homework since I'm the mother and that's my job as a wife and future mother.

I think that give children little tasks to do, they can be quite eager to help and it makes them feel good and also they learn that way. I think a 10 year old ironing & doing everthing is not on thats more like slavery/cruelty. I think the ages between 14 upwards they could do more to help their parents and again they learn and can earn some pocket money. I think the chores should graduate with the age and understanding of the child. To not have them do anything is a waste and does not teach them values of any kind.

I think you have to get a happy mix of the two.

All my kids aged 9, 10 and 17 help with tidying, cleaning etc, but I do all the washing and ironing. They all know how to hoover, dust, tidy and even recycle etc... my 17 year old can iron... of a fashion, but the younger two will learn in a few years time....afterall, if you don't teach them these things how will they know?

I think I'm helping my kids to be more independant and also have respect for the surroundings they live in.

Oh and all my kids are boys!