How can I get my 5 year old to do her chores before school?

How can I get my 5 year old to do her chores before she goes to school? She has 3. Wipe out the bathroom sink, scoop the cat litter and pick up her pjs from the night before…I am trying to make her more responsible but it isn’t working…ideas?

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I wouldn’t expect a child that young to do chores before school. After makes more sense. You also may need to be more realistic with what she can do especially independently. Kitty litter would be a no go for me. Maybe when she’s older

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I’m all for it other than the litterbox. She can get dressed and put her clothes right in the laundry basket. She can rinse the sink out right after brushing her teeth. But the little box. That should be your job. You got the cat(s). So clean up after them. And why does the littler box have to be cleaned out first thing in the morning.? Clean it yourself if it’s that serious.

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She’s to young to have responsibilities before school. Also please don’t make a 5 year old clean a litter box.

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Before school? Girl I’m barely alive before 10am, give the kid a break! :sob::sob: maybe picking up the Jammie’s but the rest can be the night before or after school?

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This seems a little harsh on a kid who’s probably just about coping with getting up for school and getting dressed and having breakfast. The PJ one is probably OK but the sink one maybe needs to be after school. And she’s a little small to be handling cat litter. Maybe think about little jobs she could do in the evening instead like laying the table for dinner.

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Start with just the PJs. Sink to after school. She is to young for the cat litter one

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Her only job that early in the morning should be her school day and getting ready to face it. She is 5 not 12. My 4 kids 16, 15, 13, and 3 have zero chores in the morning other than to prepare themselves for their day. That’s entirely too much especially on a 5 year old in my opinion.

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She will be resentful not responsible. Seems she’s getting stuck doing the things you don’t want to do. She can pick up toys, clothes, maybe learn to help cook, set table, on occasion

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My 6 year old does chores after school so she only has to focus on getting ready for the day day before school. I don’t do chores before work so why should I expect her to do chores before school.

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Pick up the pj’s before school when she gets dressed. Rinse the sink after she brushes her teeth after breakfast. But do the others after school.

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SHES 5!! Who the heck makes their five year old clean the litter box before school?!

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Five year old cleaning the cat box? No way in hell would I allow my five year old to clean a cat box before OR after school. She’s way too young. I’d start with picking up her pj’s.

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Way to young to have chores before school! Completely unrealistic if you ask me Lmao this must be a joke! You are the mom those ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES!!!

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Teacher her to place the PJ’s into the hamper as soon as she takes them off instead of on the floor then it doesn’t have to be a chore to clean them up, cleaning the sink is part of brushing teeth, if she doesn’t clean it, send her back in to do it. I personally wouldn’t allow my 5 year old to clean the litter box but everyone is different in parenting. If she has to clean the cat box, maybe get in the routine of doing that after school everyday.

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My son and daughter have been doing chores since they were 3 and 4 .
At 5 they both had mini bulls and horse’s to feed before school . Even in the cold weather it was done .

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I wouldn’t be making my 5 year scoop the kitty litter that sounds like a you job passing they yukiest job to a 5 year old lol

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Who the hell wants to clean a litter box first thing in the morning?? Besides children are much more vulnerable to Toxoplasmosis from cat litter. I wouldn’t let my 5 year old do that any time of day.

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What? She is only 5! Don’t make her clean the cat box. That’s horrible. She doesn’t need ANY chores yet.

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Mine are slightly older and slightly different expectations but this could be adapted so my 6 and 7 year old need to
1 get dressed
2 eat breakfast
3 pack school bag
( I do need to remind them of library bag etc)
4 brush teeth/ wash face
5 make their bed
6 bring me hairbrush,spray and hair ties and put away
By 8:15
With no whinging tantrums or fighting and they get 50c each day which they can choose to put in their money box or take to canteen.
This has made mornings so much easier they don’t make it everyday but if they do they can earn $2:50 pocket money each week.
I also have an afternoon routine so things like lunchboxes bags and shoes aren’t missing in the morning. Breaking pocket money up into smaller amounts works better for us than reward charts and means they are in control of there spending and can easily save up for items they want ie toys from Kmart nail polish junk food when we go shopping so less whinging when we are out too.I also have a visible clock and how to tell time poster in the kitchen and several alarms set in my phone to help keep them on track. I want them to be successful so I try to stay positive and they also see me do the same things in the same order each morning.

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At 5 if there is something that must be done consistently…you have to consistently remind them. That is how they learn. It’s not enough to tell a 5 yr old the list of chores they have to do. Every day, you remind them. Every day you ask them if they put their pjs away. Every day you ask if they rinsed the sink.

It is tedious and frustrating but your consistency is what teaches them.

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Why before school? Maybe putting her clothes in the hamper in the morning but everything else can wait until after school. Mornings are crazy enough why add more to it.

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Scooping the cat little at 5 :woozy_face::woozy_face: sorry but no. That’s unfair!! It’s hard enough for a child to get up and ready for school as is never mind adding chores on top of it :see_no_evil::see_no_evil:!! Maybe move them to after :woman_shrugging:t2:

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My girls just have to put there pjs on there bed, make sure the sink is clean after doing there teeth, letting the dog out when pop gets home, I wouldn’t be letting a 5 year old do the kitty litter. Yes teaching them responsibilities is a good thing but age appropriate

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Should of started sooner…have to brag, my 3 yo granddaughter loves to run the vacuum, she helps with dishes and laundry, and picks up her toys. I am so blessed, I bought her a baby shark vacuum when she was 1 1/2…bought her a battery powered tooth brush, she loves to brush her teeth. Her last dentist visit, no cavities and she let the dentist floss her teeth so now we are using those little floss sticks to floss. Grandma also keeps Hershey kisses in an empty butter tub, in the freezer.

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She’s 5. That’s too much to expect before school. Have her do the pjs because that’s just a good habit to get into… Let her get ready for her long day. She’s five cut her some slack

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Shes way too young to be doing all that before school. School is already overwhelming for little people as it is. Maybe try the chores after school

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The cat litter is a big no-no for kids and pregnant women because of toxoplasmosis which can make them very sick. She’s too young to do that. The cats poop is not a job for a 5 year old….please :woman_shrugging:t3:

She should not be cleaning a litter box for several more years. Picking up her pj’s from the night before is okay. If you really want her to wipe the sink I would say that should be an after she brushes her teeth bedtime chore.

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Do the cat litter yourself. That’s not a child’s job. Disgusting, she is 5 years old. Jobs for little ones are brushing their teeth, put toys away, going to the bathroom before bed etc

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You can’t make a 5 year old scoop a cat litter box. To me thats bordering on child abuse. How disgusting. Most 5 year Olds do not have the proper motor skills and coordination to scoop cat crap litter. Thats too much. Wtf

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My 6 year old is responsible for putting her dirty clothes in the basket when she takes them off and rinsing the sink out after she brushes her teeth if she makes a mess. She often needs reminders. If you want your child’s chorw to be scoop the cat box once a day just ask her to do it after school. I really don’t think you’re asking too much.

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Mine never had any chores and they turned out wonderful

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She’s two young for all of this

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That’s a lot for a 5 year old before school. Maybe after school would be more appropriate. Picking up the pjs I can see. But the other 2 are a bit much….

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Seems a little extreme for a 5 year old, especially the sink and the litter box is just unreal! My 6 year olds only responsibility is to clean her room to the best of her ability & never before school. Just atleast once a week and what she can’t do i do for her and make her bed.

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I can’t even do all that before anything in the mornings :rofl::sob: She’s too young to be worried about that before going to school. Maybe try switching it to after. Idk how progressed your daughter is, but I wouldn’t have let mine do kitty litter at that age. But definitely try after school chores and see if she does better w it. Maybe she’s just not a morning person​:woman_shrugging:t2:

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My 7 and 8 year old have chores they do 4 days a week. It’s after school. The only responsibilities they have are keeping their room picked up, help with the dishwasher and help with their laundry. I wouldn’t allow my kids at their age to clean a little box, that’s way out of line. Cleaning up pj’s in the morning is acceptable but that’s way too much to expect from a 5 year old.

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Your daughter is 5. Why don’t you wake up and scoop the cat shit? That’s insane.

I would honestly go as far as putting the pj’s in the dirty clothes bin, but the sink and the cat litter? I think 5 is too young… I’m not saying they aren’t capable of those things, kids are extremely smart… I just wouldn’t be getting my child to take on those things at that age, let them be a kid because it doesn’t last long. Unless this was something a child wanted to do and would get excited about to help out around the house, I wouldn’t be getting them to do it at all. I’ll probably be picking up my son’s PJ’s off the floor for a long time and I’m ok with that. Especially school mornings they have a lot on their little minds, I don’t think they need to be worrying about household chores. This is just my opinion

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I can understand pjs and sink bc that’s basic cleaning up after yourself but cat litter at 5yrs old? Before school?! Jfc she’s a child she’s 5! I can see a chore after school but not cat litter. Calm down and let her be a child before school no one wants to do something that early

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I don’t think a 5 year old should be dealing with animal feces. Just my opinion.

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That’s not right to expect a five year old to clean out a litter box or to ask them to do it.
However if you continue to go down that path please have that baby wear a mask so she or he doesn’t inhale liter or ammonium fumes from the cat pee. Also supervise hand washing afterwards.
I would really reconsider that chore to keep your child healthy

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Lady, clean your own damn litter box. That’s not safe for a kid that age.

I see no issue with picking up her pajamas and rinsing out the sink and you may have to send her back to do those things every morning for a month before it becomes an ingrained habit. But I think scooping cat poop is an older kid or adult job. If she needs a job that is tied to the cat because it’s her pet then maybe feeding it and pouring fresh water in its bowl from a cup would be a little more age appropriate.

Holy cow. All these people who think 5 is too young for chores. And the “chores” you put. How is picking up their own PJs a hard chore? It takes one freaking second. Also wiping the bathroom sink, also a 30 second chore. The only thing that I would even consider a “chore” is the cat litter, and if she is doing it every day it would also be a 1 minute chore. And she’s 5 not 2. She can absolutely handle a cat scoop and drop the poop into a trash bag. She’s not gonna go licking the pooper scooper after. Geeze. Really I feel like instead of it being chores it should just blend into her morning routine. Please don’t accept that a 5 year old is too young to have responsibilities. Her “chores” will take less then 5 minutes. It’s not like you expect her to clean the kitchen and run the dishwasher and mop the floors. This is what’s wrong with todays kids. No responsibilities ever

My 10 year old chores are getting ready for school and when your done if you have time feed and water the dog. Everything else is after school.

10 year and 6 year chores are unload the diswasher and clean up their bathrooms,pick up their clothes and when I clean them and fold them they put them away

My 5 and 8 year old were taught from the beginning to put their pj’s away after taking them off, so it would be a teaching moment for that one. The bathroom sink was also taught while rinsing the toothbrush off. If they make a mess, clean it up. If they didn’t understand the concept, I was in there with them showing them. Repetition, repetition, repetition. As for the cat litter, I would wait for that after school as many have said. I too agree with others that 5 is a bit young , but to each their own. :blush:

She’s 5 getting to school on time should be enough of a chore. Picking up pjs fair enough but I think you should be doing the rest

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The litter box??? How old is she.

She’s 5. Chores before school is obviously a bit overwhelming for her. Getting up in the morning, getting ready is enough. PJs in the laundry hamper and wipe out the sink is ok. She shouldn’t have to worry about a litter box. You should do that yourself. A 5 year old shouldn’t be cleaning up piss and shit before school. :woman_facepalming:

Gross to make your five year old clean the kitty litter box even worse you make her do it before going school …she is only five give her a break if having her do your housework before she goes to school is that important than have her rinse the sink as soon as she is done brushing her teeth .you are there supervising to make sure she is doing it properly ain’t you.as for the jammies get her her own laundry basket for dirty clothes that she can put her jammies in when getting dressed …

My golden rule is - you can make a mess, but YOU have to clean it up. I don’t think litter is one I’d have her do…not yet. Clean up after yourself, before school. “dirty thirty” 30 minutes of cleanup before bed. If picking up after herself isn’t 30 minutes, give her a light chore. Before school, after school doesn’t really matter because you want to teach her to clean up after herself…always, no matter what time it is or where you are.

My kids are 3 and 4 ( they help every day feed and water the cats … put there clothes in dirty laundry and pick up there toys
A 5 year old needs responsibility maybe not cat litter ( that is a no for me they offer to help I tell them no ) it moms job

Have her put the PJs in the hampers as soon as she’s done and as for chores the way it works for my family I have a six-year-old he gets home gets a chance to eat relax a bit after school dinner then homework then chores then we get ready for bed and he has a little more time to himself usually screen time but no dang way we’re doing it in the morning I barely function in the morning

That’s doing way too much for a 5 year old before school. Reset your expectations.

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Have her stuff her PJs under her pillow and that way she knows where they are for bedtime. Have a plastic cup ready to swish the sink after brushing her teeth and I agree the kitty box should be after school. For a 5 year old just getting up early and getting dressed and having breakfast is a lot to do in such a short time. Baby steps into doing chores is better than forced chores at any age.

You all are being really judgy on the litter box issue. Personally I agree with yous HOWEVER, we do NOT know if there was possibly an underlying agreement if said daughter wanted and begged and pleaded for a cat, and this WAS the agreement. You want a pet, you look after it. Maybe she goes to daycare after school and after school isn’t an option because of supper and bath and bed. This mama looked for advise on HOW to get her to daughter to be more responsible, not for YOU to tell her how to raise her.

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Usually when trying to get young ones esp to help out & clean up toys, clothes off floor/put away things of that nature you could try giving incentives- I mean I know shes young for allowances but maybe other things she likes/wants instead

Habits take time and when they are young they need to be walked through everything, again and again and again until it sticks. My 5 year old does lots before school(I don’t have a set list… but he will make his bed, help clean up after breakfast, dirty clothes away, and misc things to help as needed), but I have to remind him of most of it. But- it’s progress!

Wow! Before school!? Scoop the cat litter? Let her enjoy being a kid at the moment.

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Scoop the cat litter… I don’t even think that’s sanitary!

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Girl, I cannot make my own 15 years old daughter to clean up after herself! Everyday we have to ask, tell, beg, threaten, etc to do her minimum chores at least, nothing works. So do not give up, maybe you will be luckier than us.:wink:

I have 5 children youngest is 4 oldest 17. Each of them have chores, when they get it done is left up to them. The only rule I have is that if they want to go out and hang with friends that homework and chores are completed before they can. My older two decided that they will complete it after school and my middle girl gets up early on her own and gets her chores done before school so she has more time afterwards. They each have learned what works for them. It takes time let them figure out what they want and to hold themselves accountable.

I wouldn’t make my 5yo scoop cat litter how gross :grimacing: cat poo can be really dangerous for kids too

Bro you making your 5 year old scoop cat litter

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You expect a 5 year old to scoop the cat liter? You serious. My kids (12 and under) all have chores. But there is no way in hell my 5 year old is cleaning the cat liter. Pull your head out of your ass…give your child chores that are age related…picking up their toys, making their beds etc. Don’t force a ton of responsibility on them first thing in the morning…too little.

There’s like a million other chores a child could be doing before I ever made mine clean out a liter box that little… especially BEFORE school… do ya even know what’s in cat pee?:face_vomiting: Ammonia is a hell of a thing to be huffing when you’re about to head to school.
How are you gonna make every day great when you start off by cleaning shit?:woozy_face:

Scoop the litter box…yikes :flushed: I’m lucky if my 5 year old gets up and ready without a fight :joy:

I’m 26 years old & wouldn’t want to do that first thing in the morning. She’s 5- you’re on the right track wanting to teach her responsibilities but give her some grace.

She shouldn’t have chores before school… and scooping cat litter :face_with_raised_eyebrow: unless it’s HER cat, you do that!! If she does it, she needs to be supervised and masked…

Why is this even a question?! She is FIVE. They don’t get a choice and those that say she does are part of this entitled generation.

Umm you dont lol
Pls stop having her scoop cat litter all together

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The only things i ask my 6 year old to do before school is put breakfast dishes in the sink, dirty jammies and underwear in the wash basket and find her hair brush and pick whatever bobbles / clips / bows she wants in that day. She helps me in the house at weekends when there is no rushing, puts her clean washing away and tidies her room and would bring dinner dishes in to the kitchen in the evenings (busy with activities 3 nights of the week)

Chores after school before a fun activity, but then again they’re just 5 and don’t fully understand that concept.

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My oldest is 11 and all I expect from her before school is to get ready and grab her bag lol

Everything else…yes! No litter box before school. Nope

Kids doing chores i get mine do but i wouldn’t be making a 5 yesr old scoop cat poop if you dont want to do it dont have a cat

Easy, make a morning routine chart and be excited to follow it.
I also did a going to bed chart!

Oh I sure wouldn’t be scooping no cat poop

Hows bout doing it after school even I don’t like doing things when I first get up

And this is the easy age
I feel sorry for you when she turns 13

My kids do chores in the evening and pick up after themselves before school

Try after school, thats when my kids do theres

Have you asked her what might help her get her chores done? Work together to fix the problem

If you absolutely have to make her do chores. Then try when she gets home. She’s 5. She’s got school to do. And you’re pushing chores…

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Chore chart with stars or stickers.

5 year old … Chores…BEFORE school? Are you completely delusional??? She’s got a long life of unobtainable expectations ahead of her.

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Awe :pleading_face:
I understand kids need responsibility
But before school that’s a little to much
Getting dressed and waking up and getting her book bag and jacket is enough for in the morning
And throwing her PJs in the hamper is fine
I’m not saying chores and responsibilities aren’t good but what your asking I believe is to much especially for mornings
In the evening after school snack homework
I would do the sink at night after she brushes her teeth other then that cleaning her room is plenty enough at that age 5 is very young to be cleaning a litter box

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Y’all let these KIDS live!!! LMAOO chores… five… before school… TF!!! :thinking: Why do people think you have to start teaching children “responsibility” at 2 years old??? Dang… the majority of your entire life is spent being “responsible”!! Let these kids be freaking KIDS!!! :woman_facepalming:t4:

5 years old and before school?? absolutely not!
any chores after school, maybe rinse sink after teeth brushing each time. cat poop would be a no for a 5 year old. feed and give water yes but no poop :confused:
also don’t tell them to do chores, tell them to do “life” with you lol my 2 year old loves helping and doing “life” with me, we do laundry together, cook, clean and she has fun, thinks in normal and fun. also I completely failed My oldest one in this department and now she is dirtbag haha so I’m all for teaching responsibility and great habits and blah blah but not before school and no cat poop

You sound like a control freak. The ammonia in cat litter could seriously hurt her. Her job is to go to school and be a kid. Do it your damn self

Before school can be hectic. I get picking up her pjs, but can’t the other stuff wait until after school? I never had to do chores before school. Also I think 5 is too young to be handling cat litter.

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Cat box should be your responsibility. She’s too young. Let her wake up to facing a scary world in peace. Chores after school are fine.

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She’s 5 and supposed to clean the litter box? :woman_facepalming:t3::roll_eyes:

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Sorry I don’t think a 5 yr old should be cleaning the cats litter tray

Because shes 5! Like what kinda arsehole makes a 5yo clean cat shit before school!

You are ridiculous. Five years old cleaning a kitty litter? Or doing anything? Absolutely child abused.

You scoup the litter box so she doesn’t breathe in that stuff.

Before school ? Like school isn’t draining enough