Good Housekeeping Practices for Teenagers

Expect teenagers to place laundry in a hamper by laundry day, or teach them to wash it themselves.

Regular participation in household chores and errands helps teenagers to learn both responsibility and accountability. Particularly as teenagers near adulthood, it is important they learn at least the basic skills required to keep a clean and functioning home. General housekeeping activities such as making beds, cleaning bathrooms and mowing lawns might not be on teenagers' lists of their top ten favorite things to do, but these activities will help them transition into a more successful, independent life once they leave home.

The Bedroom

Many teenagers consider their room to be completely their domain and want parents to stay hands-off. This can make it difficult to insist on room cleanliness. Instead of fighting with your teenager over the state of his room, present him with choices about how it is kept clean. For example, if you do laundry on a certain day, request that any clothes that need to be washed be in a hamper and in the laundry room by a certain time on that day. If your teen does not contribute any clothes to be washed then you don't do them and he is responsible for washing his own clothes at some point during the week. Request that at least once a month, your teenager's bedroom is cleaned entirely, including moving enough items off the floor so it can be vacummed, emptying trash cans and washing sheets.

The Bathroom

Expect your teen to take a turn cleaning her bathroom or all the house bathrooms at least once or twice a month, depending on the size of your household. If your teen has a private bathroom, then you can certainly ask that she take responsibility for its cleanliness while you or other household members will take responsibility for other bathrooms in the house. Set a deadline for the cleaning to be done, and be prepared to enact some form of consequence if it is not completed.

Outside Chores

Involve teens in outside household chores including mowing the lawn, taking the dog on a walk, helping with weeding projects and involvement in larger home maintenance projects such as painting or fence building. These sort of activities teach teenagers about the effort it takes to keep a home in working and presentable order on the outside, not just the inside. Teens can learn skills that will come in handy later in life, such as how to use small machinery like a lawnmower and the responsibilities that come with pet ownership. Outdoor projects can also be a nice way to spend some additional time with your teenager.

Errands

Take advantage of your teenager's ability and desire to drive by involving him in running household errands. Short grocery trips, a stop for a car wash and shuttling a younger sibling to and from a sports activity are all good ways to help your teen gain driving experience while also including them in the larger efforts of running the house. Be certain to be clear about expectations for teen driving, particularly when younger children or other passengers might also be in the vehicle.

References

• Healthy Children: Household Chores for Adolescents