Most kids want to help around the house starting at age 2 or 3. There are long and short-term positives to building these habits from a young age including increased competence and dependability, an ability to make and reach goals, and an increase of self-esteem; all of which stem from teaching the child to delay gratification (through doing more chores.) This helpful graphic divides hypothetical chores between three children of varying ages and suggests rewarding older children for their participation. The youngest child is more or less responsible for tidying up after herself, but as the age increases the children are given chores than benefit the whole house. The graphic explains: Waiting until a child turns 12 and suddenly asking to help out around the house rarely goes over well; let kids learn when they’re young.
