Chores for a 12 yr old?? Not have at home

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My wife and I are keeping her female 12yr old 2nd cousin while her mom gets clean. I feel that the kid needs a family connection. Something she does not have at home.

So far she is in charge of chickens daily. Trash and cat boxes every other day.

Too much or ok? Not enough? She seems to enjoy helping out. I dont want to burden her with too much or spoil her with no chores.

Thoughts?

Ps. She is the only 6th grader in her class that can drive a stick shift jeep. Bumpy and rough but she understands the basics
smile.gif
 
I don't think its too much. She isn't breaking into a sweat is she. Teaching her to drive and a little allowance will instill some good work ethic in her you're on the right track.
 
That’s admirable Chris. She most likely needs structure in her life right now and probably wants to help out. Good on you and your wife, hope it all works out.
 
It's a good idea to slowly add chores rather than dump them on her all at once. If she starts to do things on her own without being told like vacuum the floors then you have a real good kid there.

She might not want to go back when that time comes. Have you considered that possibility?
 
Originally Posted By: PimTac
It's a good idea to slowly add chores rather than dump them on her all at once. If she starts to do things on her own without being told like vacuum the floors then you have a real good kid there.

She might not want to go back when that time comes. Have you considered that possibility?


I would say this is highly likely.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Teach her how to turn wrenches!


This. That would be an awesome bonding moment and something she'll remember and take with her for the rest of her life.
 
Great job! I have fostered for family and community and the hardest part is seeing how much the kids want to go back to mom no matter how bad of a parent she was. I've seen some bad stuff. My wife and I are sponcering our niece in college right now, she's earned it and it's a great feeling. Too bad kids can't choose their parents.
 
Sounds like this kid landed at the right home at the right time. My only suggestion is to balance the chores with fun stuff, the main idea being to keep her busy!
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Ps. She is the only 6th grader in her class that can drive a stick shift jeep. Bumpy and rough but she understands the basics
smile.gif



I can remember being that age driving the old standard transmission Jeep around the deer lease all the time. Take her somewhere to do something like that,she'll have a total blast!! Those are some of my favorite memories with my dad.
 
Kudos to you Chris. You might want go give her an allowance for chores. The concept of work followed by a paycheck is not a bad thing. Not saying its necessary or the best thing in your situation.


A neighbor who is white adopted 2 African American kids. We hire the boy all the time to do chores. He is an amazingly hard worker. Very polite and he calls my wife "Miss Mary"..lol.

Keep us up to date.
 
I think what you're doing is fantastic. Make it fun, and don't over do it. She's going to have to learn how to work, and be responsible, you're teaching her that early on. Good on you!
 
Originally Posted By: rsylvstr
That's awesome.
Wrenching.
Cooking.
Laundry.
Make it fun and she can learn to take care of herself too
she is very self suficient. She feeds herself if she gets hungry. Unfornatly her diet at home consists of top ramen noodles,mac and cheeze and mcdonalds on a good day.

She is great @ monopoly and battleship. If I could have guaranteed to have a kid like her I would have had my own.
 
I don't feel that it's too much at all. I grew up on a dairy farm where we had to be up early and didn't get in until late at night.
Between my kindergarten year and first grade, my dad had me driving a old two-cylinder John Deere tractor baling small bales of hay with him on the trailer stacking bales. (Only the old geezers on this site who know that the tractor doesn't have a live PTO will realize how tough that is for a small kid)
Looks like you are teaching some responsibility, which is good.
 
I don't think it's too much and it sounds like she is Appreciative to have people like you in her life at this time. Really good kid.
I have seen people get people's kids as part as a bad situation and use then like slaves. That's not the case here and I think this relationship will be really good for you, your wife and especially her.
 
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