15 Ways to Help Your Busy Mother Out around the House

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Does your mom seem super busy all the time? Your mom works hard to keep your home running for you and your family. You can show her how much you appreciate her by helping out with chores around the house. Not only will it make your mom happy, but it will build up your skills and teach you responsibility, too. [1] Read through this article for some simple chores you can get started on today to help your mom out.

Things You Should Know

  • Clean up after yourself to make your mom smile. If you've left a mess on your desk, on your bed, or in your room, tidy up.
  • Help with household chores that your mom normally handles. For instance, set the table or take out the trash.
  • Ask your mom what you can do to help her if you're not sure. She'll probably really appreciate your thoughtfulness!
1

Tidy up clutter in your room.

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  1. Take a look around your room: are there books, toys, and blankets on the ground? Pick them up and put them in their spots. [2]
    • If you have a playroom or a family room that’s looking cluttered, do the same thing there as well.
    • Are there any dishes or cups in your room? Help your mom out by taking them to the kitchen to be washed.
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2

Organize your school work.

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  1. If you normally sprawl your homework papers and textbooks all over your room, make one particular spot where you'll store your homework. This could be a desk, or just a corner of the room to stack your textbooks and put your backpack. [3]
    • Having a homework spot doesn't just make your room look cleaner, it makes it easier to find what you need to get ready for school in the morning.
3

Make your bed.

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  1. After you wake up in the morning, take a few minutes to straighten out your blankets and pillows. Make your bed as neatly as you can to get it ready for you to doze off to sleep in. [4]
    • If you know your mom is doing laundry later, help her out by taking the sheets off your bed and putting them in the laundry pile. Try to wash your sheets at least once a week to keep them looking and smelling fresh.
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4

Set the table for dinner.

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  1. Your mom probably worked hard making dinner for you and your family. Help her out by setting the table and making sure everyone has what they need for the meal. [5]
    • You can also pour cups of water for everyone at the table.
5

Feed and walk the pets.

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  1. Does your family have a dog, a cat, a bird, a fish, or any animal that eats? When it’s time to feed them, grab their food and give them the right amount (if you aren’t sure how much, ask your mom). [6] Make sure they all have water in their dish, and take them on a walk if that’s what they need!
    • You could also play fetch or play with toys inside the house.
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6

Water the plants.

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  1. If you have any indoor plants, carefully pour some water into the dirt around the base of the plant. If you have outdoor plants or a garden, you can use a hose to spray water directly into the dirt near the plants’ roots. [7]
    • Outdoor plants usually only need to be watered during the spring and summer. If it’s raining, your plants are being watered for you!
    • Some plants only need a little bit of water. If you aren’t sure whether or not yours need some, ask your mom.
7

Take out the trash.

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  1. You might notice that your kitchen or bathroom trash is overflowing with garbage. If that’s the case, pull the sides of the bag up and tie the bag tightly so no trash falls out. Bring the bag outside to the trash bins, then replace the bag with a fresh one. [8]
    • If you’re old enough to push the large trash bins out to the street, ask your mom when trash day is. Then, the night before, bring the bins out to the street for the garbage trucks to pick up in the morning.
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8

Do a load of laundry.

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  1. Ask your mom which clothes are dirty and if she wants to sort them first. Then, grab a pile and put the clothes into the washer, followed by some laundry detergent. Turn the washer on to start the load , and plan on transferring it to the dryer when it’s done. [9]
    • Some clothes are delicate and need to be washed on a special cycle. Ask your mom beforehand if there’s anything you should set aside before putting in the laundry.
    • When the clothes are dry, fold them and sort them into piles based on where they go.
9

Vacuum or sweep the floors.

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  1. Check out the floors in your house: are they dirty, hairy, or dusty? If you have carpet, grab the vacuum and vacuum the floors to clean them up. If you have hardwood, tile, or laminate floors, use a broom to sweep up dirt and hair. [10]
    • If your floors are really dirty, you could even mop them for your mom. Ask her where the mop and bucket are, then fill up the bucket with water and whatever cleaning solution your mom usually uses.
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10

Make your own breakfast or lunch.

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  1. Your parents might cook dinner, but you can take charge of making your own breakfast and lunch every day. It doesn't need to be fancy. If you're not allowed to use the stove, you can use the microwave to make oatmeal, or just eat cold cereal or yogurt. Pack your own lunch by making a sandwich and bringing along some yummy fruit. [11]
    • Packing your lunch the night before makes the mornings of school easier.
    • If you have siblings, you can trade off whose turn it is to pack lunch or make breakfast for everybody.
11

Help make dinner.

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  1. Find things that you can do to help with dinner preparation, like washing fruit, making pasta, slicing vegetables, making a salad, or pouring glasses of water for everybody. [12] If you have siblings, get them in on it by encouraging them to set the table or grab a drink for everyone.
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12

Wash the dishes.

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  1. After you and your family are done eating, offer to wash the dishes. You can either load them in the dishwasher or wash them by hand . Then, put the clean dishes away in the cupboards to use later on. [13]
    • If you aren’t old enough to do the dishes yet, focus on taking your dinner plate to the kitchen and scraping any food into the garbage or compost.
13

Dust around the house.

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  1. Wipe off surfaces if they look dingy or dusty. Grab a duster or just a wet rag and go over any flat surfaces in your home, like shelves, tables, or bookcases. Focus on areas that aren’t touched a lot, since those tend to accumulate the most dust. [14]
    • Be extra careful if you choose to dust electronics, like the TV or your computer. Always use a clean microfiber towel, and go gently over the screen so you don’t damage it.
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14

Do some yard work.

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  1. During the summer, you can help out your mom and get some fresh air at the same time. Use a lawnmower to mow the grass, or put on some gardening gloves and pull out weeds by hand . If you aren’t sure which plants are supposed to be there and which ones are weeds, ask your mom before you start. [15]
15

Ask your mom what to do if you’re not sure.

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  1. If you’re super stumped about what might be helpful, just ask! Your mom can tell you exactly what to do and how to do it, and you can ask her any questions if you’re confused. [16]
    • Your mom will probably really appreciate you wanting to help. Even if she doesn’t have a chore for you right that second, she’ll love knowing that you’re willing to clean up around the house and lighten her load a bit.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I encourage my family to help out around the house?
    Wits End Parenting
    Parenting Specialists
    Wits End Parenting is a parent-coaching practice based in Berkeley, California specializing in strong-willed, “spirited” children with impulsivity, emotional volatility, difficulty “listening,” defiance, and aggression. Wits End Parenting's counselors incorporate positive discipline that is tailored to each child’s temperament while also providing long-term results, freeing parents from the need to continually re-invent their discipline strategies.
    Wits End Parenting
    Parenting Specialists
    Expert Answer
    Try normalizing household tasks as activities that are as expected as waking up in the morning. One main way to do this is to do part of the housework together as a family. For example, everyone contributes to dinner prep, or the family might clean an entire room together on a Saturday. This not only gets the work done, it also does a better job of positioning chores as expected and a normal part of living in a household.
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      References

      1. ↑ Wits End Parenting. Parenting Specialists. Expert Interview. 5 March 2020.
      2. ↑ https://pathways.org/chores-right-child/
      3. ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/focused.html
      4. ↑ https://www.chop.edu/news/chores-and-kids-how-much-should-you-expect
      5. ↑ https://www.chop.edu/news/chores-and-kids-how-much-should-you-expect
      6. ↑ https://www.chop.edu/news/chores-and-kids-how-much-should-you-expect
      7. ↑ https://pathways.org/chores-right-child/
      8. ↑ https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/family-life/routines-rituals/chores-for-children
      9. ↑ https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Chores_and_Children-125.aspx
      1. ↑ https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Household-Chores-for-Adolescents.aspx
      2. ↑ https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/family-life/chores/chores-for-children
      3. ↑ Wits End Parenting. Parenting Specialists. Expert Interview. 5 March 2020.
      4. ↑ https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Household-Chores-for-Adolescents.aspx
      5. ↑ https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Household-Chores-for-Adolescents.aspx
      6. ↑ https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Chores_and_Children-125.aspx
      7. ↑ Wits End Parenting. Parenting Specialists. Expert Interview. 5 March 2020.

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you want to help out your busy mother around the house, try taking over a task she usually does, like preparing lunch for your siblings. Another option could be to put your dishes in the dishwasher after eating or wash them up in the sink. If you'd rather help look after your pets, make sure they have food and water, and are walked regularly. Then, encourage your siblings to follow your example by planning a "Mom's day off" when all of you will take over the chores for a day to give your mom a break. To find out how you can keep your own room clean and how to encourage others to help out around the house, read on!

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