Compiling a list of useful chores for teens is time-consuming if you had to sit down and write. Moreover, you will be stuck after jotting down a few. Hence, to ease your work, here is a comprehensive article that not only features the most useful household chores for teenagers but also guides you about inculcating the art of responsibility in your kids.
So, let’s get started.
10 Most Useful Chores For Teens
When it comes to age-appropriate chores, there isn’t a big difference in the type of tasks older teens and adults do. In fact, the work phase taught or done here is something that is carried lifelong.
In short, older teens tend to have the same responsibility levels that most adults do. That’s ultimately what the objective of sharing home responsibilities is: preparing your teen or kid to become a responsible human in the later years. As they enter into adulthood, they will be ready to go with better responsibilities. No wonder most chores for teens tend to be common for adults too!
Considering this, here is a detailed chore list for teens to make a note of:
1. Sweeping & Vacuuming The Floor
These two tasks seem simple. Well, all it takes is to drag the broom or vacuum cleaner across the floor. However, this is not what an effective sweeper does. Proper sweeping
Santa helper hat is optional!
requires good practice, and this chore is something to be inculcated in the early stage.
It increases concentration, inculcates the art of perfecting a job, and teaches patience.
Though this cleaning habit is something to be taught when a kid is 7 to 8 years old, teenage isn’t a bad idea too if you have missed it in the early years.
Also Read: How to get kids to do chores
2. Keeping The Bathroom Neat And Clean
Learning to keep the bathroom neat and clean is one of the best chores for teens, and there are good reasons why.
Learning to keep the bathroom clean instills the importance of personal hygiene and teaches cleanliness.
Teenage is indeed the right time to learn how to scrub the sink properly, remove the toothpaste residue, wipe the counter, spritz the mirror, and clean the toilet. Subconsciously, these little tasks teach the art of responsibility. Of course, it is not going to build in a day. It takes some time.
3. Mopping The Floor
Mopping a floor with perfection is an activity that is best suited not only for teenagers but also for older elementary kids (9 – 10). Kids of this age will be old and matured enough to understand as well as learn the art of mopping without much administration.
“Engaging in a cleaning activity just for 20 minutes helps in reducing stress and anxiety by 20%. Mopping would be a fantastic addition.”
~ British Journal of Sports Medicine
Still, provide an introduction. Teach them how to prep the mop water, wring out the mop, rinse the mop head, how to clean the hard spots, clean the bucket & mop once it is done, and finally, the correct way to store the mop.
Also, give them explicit instructions to mop various floor types. Understand that different floor types require special mopping techniques. Say, for instance, wooden floors need a different style of mopping than floors that are tile-based.
4. Tidying The Living Room Every Week
Teach your teen to dust, clean, and tidy the living room every week. Not limited to the living room alone, it can be extended to other rooms as well. This task doesn’t take much time and most teens learn to complete it with ease and pretty quickly.
Besides making the room look clean and pleasant, a task like “tidying” has multiple health benefits. It helps improve mental health and prevents allergies.
Once your kid has knocked off all the dust from objects, the next step is to vacuum up. Set the routine and give instructions about every cleaning phase. Put the old magazines away and organize whatever is lying around. Use the 2-week rule for other items. Say, for instance, if you have not used an item actively in the last 2 weeks – put that away in the storage area.
5. Removing The Clutter
Mommmmyyyyy!!! My pet turtle is missing!!! HELP me find it!
De-cluttering is one of the most useful chores for teens. I know that this could be a little difficult, as this is an activity that even adults get perplexed with. However, teaching this art at this age phase has enormous benefits.
Teaching teens the art of decluttering helps with anger management and teaches them to be organized.
When you teach your kids to remove clutter from the house from a young age and on a regular basis, this becomes a habit, which, in turn, is carried forward lifelong. Start this task by showing an example. First, let your teens observe you de-cluttering your stuff.
Explain to them what needs to be de-cluttered and what things require to stay back. While some teens might be interested in donating unused items to people, others might be inspired by selling clutter items to save money for something that they really want to get.
6. Cooking A Delicious Meal
Yes, this is going to be hard…Not many teens will be interested in cooking a meal. But understand that this is important when he or she gets into adulthood. Also, this is a great time to pass on those family recipes!
Cooking helps teens and kids to eat healthily, maintain a fit body, and be independent.
With an art like cooking, you will be helping your teens develop amazing food skills and inculcate healthy eating habits that last for a lifetime. This is not going to develop in a day. So, you’ve got to be patient and never lose your temper over this.
The best way to start is to talk about food. This encourages a fondness for healthy eating and cooking. Explain to them why eating healthy foods is important and respect their viewpoint on it. Gradually, take this session to the next level. Read a few cookbooks or watch some good cooking shows together.
Next, begin with healthy eating habits, and this indeed calls for a proper plan. Ask them what they would prefer for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the entire week. Sit together and write down a clear grocery list.
Then, take your teens to the grocery store and have them check off all the stuff on the list once bought. Also, it is a great habit to make them read the food label so that they are familiar with different ingredients that go into making. With this, they will also understand what packaged foods contain healthier options, and eventually, they will realize what to buy and what not to.
Finally, put your teens in charge. Help them decide the dinner menu and have them chop, prepare, and cook themselves. However, make sure that you keep an eye on them and monitor whatever they do. You can assist them wherever required but avoid interrupting and taking the entire task over! Initially, this is going to be a mess, but don’t let that get to you. Don’t lose your temper over it. Instead, guide them and teach how to keep the kitchen tidy once the task is done.
7. Babysitting
Babysitting is yet another excellent job for teenagers. It not only teaches them to handle kids but also a great way to make quick cash. Though your teen might be enthusiastic about it, understand that caring and handling younger children isn’t that easy as it sounds.
Babysitting Teaches Teens Patience and responsiblility for every phase of life.
Especially while babysitting stubborn children, your teen is going to realize how and when to let go. Not everything is going to go the way they want, but babysitting is all about improvisation and having fun.
Hence, before kick-starting with it, you need to guide them through. The truth is that not all teens might be ready for babysitting. While some may be interested in it, others might not be ready to take up such a responsible job.
This is a great opportunity, which requires trust, responsibility, and maturity. Some teens naturally have what it takes to become a babysitter, but others don’t. Nevertheless, if your teen is absolutely ready, it is an excellent activity.
Babysitting is one of the most invaluable experiences for both the family and the sitter, which he or she handles as well as cares for. This experience makes teens realize many things.
Eventually, this brings a sense of maturity and responsibility. They are trusted with young kids to take care of them, watch for their safety issues, plan different activities, and deal with other crucial tasks. All these help teens to be more mature.
8. Making Their Beds And Cleaning The Mess Around
Let’s get this. Not all teens are messy or unclean. But if your teen doesn’t fall under this category, then it is high time to assign this chore on a daily basis. If your teen’s bed is messy and his or her room is disgusting or unorganized, and if this bothers you, it is time to fix it.
Getting teens to make their beds and clean their rooms can help them stay organized. It teaches them to set goals and complete them on time.
Teens should learn to take care of themselves and their belongings. In fact, this habit is carried forward for their entire lives. It’s more like a legacy that is later passed on to the upcoming generations. So, this has to be started early.
9. Turning Off The Lights When Not In Use
This is certainly one of the best chores for teens to assign. This habit when instilled early, teaches them to save energy and money in the long run. It sounds like an easy request: “Switch off the lights whenever you leave the room, dear.”
However, the more you remind your teen about it, the less they do it. 
The result? Your home remains to light up with each switch left on. This habit is intuitive to you…but not to your teenager.
Turning off lights helps them realize the importance of saving energy and money from a young age, a life-changing habit in the later years.
Nevertheless, when nagging doesn’t work, there are even better tricks to get them to do this simple task. Here is a quick tip. Since teenagers crave responsibility, organizing a good family meeting and showing them the electric bill will help them realize its value.
Parents tend to do a disservice to their kids when they assume that they are never going to understand that electricity costs money. Make them realize that money doesn’t grow on trees. We need to sweat to earn it.
10. Throwing The Trash Away
“Okay, kids. It is time to clean and throw the trash away.” The moment this phrase is made, your kids or teens whine, dawdle, and get distracted. As days pass, the reminders that you set every morning get too loud and demanding.
Yeah, we understand that struggle. Parents usually feel that they have to enforce some orders. It is true that teens want their little rooms to be completely their own – untidy – castles. Well, the brawl escalates. At times, threats or bringing them emotionally down may get things done. But at the end of the day, everyone is furious or in a bad mood.
Throwing the trash Away helps teens to be stress-free and Confident. Moreover, it increases their productivity levels at a young age.
There are times when parents completely give up and do most of the jobs themselves, frustrated with their kids. This is why it is important to establish regular routines so that there is stability in the household. It will help children while facing challenges in their adulthood.
S’moresUp is a family management chores app. Its clean interface and reward system is designed to make parenting easier while teaching your kids responsibility.
