I am 100% against forcing kids do chores.

I am 100% against forcing / making children do chores. By that I mean that I am against threatening kids with discipline or punishment, bossing them or bribing them [with allowance which should be free by definition or with treats]. I know parents who even spank their children if they don’t do “chores” [meaning in reality the parent’s housework]. Parents and kids are not the same, parents are the ones responsible for providing for their underage children by Law. If you read my memes on my Instagram Page you will know that I am in favour of encouraging children to help, of praising them for the good job they do, of making “chores” into fun activities as a way to teach them. I am in favour of teaching children skills. I am in favour of requiring that our kids have good manners which would mean after playing that they put their toys back, that they put their jacket when coming home where it should be, etc. I am in favour even of telling to a child to do something once and a while [like go and get something from the shop, etc.]

What I strongly disagree with is using appropriate age chore lists which means that a child is obligated to do particular household chores on a regular basis. I am against making kids do the housework [if they WANT to help they should be allowed and encouraged to], I am against the motto “first work, then play” [except for in the case of their schoolwork] because playing is the most important part of childhood, it teaches them and it helps them grow. I am against making kids earn their keep [which is ILLEGAL anyway]. Some parents told me that their kids wanted to help, that they were not forcing them, yet the hash tags they used told a different story “child labour”, “making him work”, “starting them young”, “earning his keep”, “pulling his weight” … some also wrote things like “in order to eat here you must work” [again ILLEGAL in the case of parenting minors]. Put the CORRECT tags, the tags are for a reason they are not to have fun, certain people check them to find illegal activity. Also I am against using chores as punishment, it just makes kids hate work since they associate it with something bad. Again yes to encouraging helping, to teaching skills but no to using kids as free labour even though its legal in the family and family business it’s still unethical and in my view the Laws should change to protect kids.

Also parents it’s really not nice posting pictures of your kids crying or being punished, how would you feel if it was done to you? Is that so strange? So difficult to understand? Anyway, kids need play, rest and schooling… I was not forced to do household chores as a kid, neither was any of the people I grew up with… in the area I lived it was unheard of… yet we are all responsible adults today, most of us very hard working and personally I believe that men should share equally in the housework. so “chores: were not needed to teach us any of this… Could the “experts” be wrong again? I dare say “Yes, yet again they are wrong” … a clue? They all disagree with each other… I have not found any 2 parenting books agreeing with each other! It is what parents model in the home that the kids see and copy! If you are responsible, helpful, etc. your kids will follow your example.

Kids chores do not exist. Chores exist which either kids want to do [help] or adults force on them [via threats or bribes]. Period!