Swap daily nagging for weekly ownership
“You cook on Thursdays” and “your laundry is yours” are easier to live with than a list of small daily jobs.
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Chores by age · Teenagers
Chores for teenagers
Teenagers can run parts of the house. The aim now is independence: by the time they leave home they should be able to cook, clean and look after their own things. Fewer, bigger jobs with clear ownership work better than a long daily list.
12 chores for teenagers
- Cook a family meal
- Do your own laundry
- Clean the bathroom
- Hoover the house
- Mow the lawn
- Wash the car
- Food shop with a list
- Change your bedsheets
- Bins and recycling out
- Walk the dog
- Help a younger sibling
- Clean the kitchen
Make their chart
We’ve picked 5 chores to start with. Tap to swap them, add your own, then print.
Tips
Making chores work at 13+
Pay for extra, not for everything
Some families expect everyday jobs as part of living together and pay for bigger extras like washing the car or mowing the lawn.
Agree deadlines, not methods
“Bathroom clean by Sunday evening” gives a teenager control over when. They are far more likely to do it.
Treat it as life skills
Cooking, laundry and budgeting are things they will need at university or in their first flat. Frame it that way.
Questions parents ask
What chores should a 13 year old do?
A thirteen year old can cook simple meals, do their own laundry, clean a bathroom, hoover, mow the lawn and help with the food shop. One daily job plus two or three weekly ones is a fair load alongside school.
Should teenagers be paid for chores?
There is no single right answer. A common approach is that everyday jobs are expected as part of the family, and bigger extra jobs can earn money or points towards something they want.
How do I get my teenager to help around the house?
Give them fewer, bigger responsibilities with clear deadlines, let them choose when to do them, and follow through calmly if they don’t. Visible charts help with siblings too.
Want the chart to cheer back?
Score Your Chores is the same idea on your iPhone. Kids wake up their own Buddy, finish quests with a press-and-hold, and save points for rewards you choose. You approve everything in two taps. Free, no ads, no child accounts.