What Chores Can Kids Help Their Parents With: A List for Teens

Taking Out the Trash

While it may be a stinky job, somebody has to do it. Although taking out the trash is far from fun, it only takes a few minutes to complete, making this a task that you can easily tackle. If you truly find the smell of the family garbage more malodorous than you can stomach, plug your nose while you complete this task. Mom and Dad will likely appreciate you taking this task off their hands.

Although babysitting can be a way to earn an extra buck or two, when it comes to babysitting younger siblings, it may be nice to do some pro bono work. If your parents need to run out to the store or complete some around-the-house tasks, you can free them up to do these things by watching your younger siblings. If you show your parents that you are a trustworthy babysitter, they might even elect to pay you for your services when they next head out on a date night.

As a robust youth, you are perfectly capable of doing some yard work for your parents. Mowing the lawn, weeding the garden and raking some autumn leaves are all tasks that you can take on. Completing these simple lawn duties won't just make your parents happy, they also will give you the opportunity to spend some time outside, getting a bit of a workout.

Put the sewing skills you learned in home economics to work by doing some mending for your parents. If your little brother's afternoon of rambunctious play has left his favorite jeans with a hole in them, stitch it up. Or perhaps a button popped off of Dad's work shirt and you can stitch it back into place. Before taking on this job, make sure that the garments you intend to mend are ones that your parents would like fixed and that they want you to do the job.

It's your space, so it may seem that you should be able to keep it as neat or messy as you like; however, for most parents a messy room is a no-go. Even though it is your room, it is a space in their house and as such your parents would likely like to see that this room remains tidy. Instead of continually telling your parents that you will clean your room tomorrow, dedicate yourself to keeping this space clean. Your parents will likely notice and appreciate this little bit of extra effort.