Yes. It’s a good thing.

Great idea, Op.


It’s too late for me but I wish I had taught the kids to notice when things need cleaning.

Being told works, of course, yet teaching kids to notice when things need to be done and then doing it seems more helpful.

To do that, you can ask them to notice what’s out of place and where the items could go instead or you can ask them to notice what is dusty or smeared with handprints.

Anonymous wrote:In my mind it seems perfectly normal for a 12 year old to clean a bathroom, but she has been complaining about it to no end and saying none of her friends have to so I just wanted to check. I am even paying her to do it, so it seemed fine to me.

My DS cleans his bathroom, does his laundry and does yard work (he's 17 now but started before 12). Even if not to perfect results early on (bathroom and yard work), its better to have him do these chores and get the habit going.

Hope she uses your toothbrush to clean. At 12, other moms are paying 20 bucks for their girls’ manicures not to clean the bathroom.

Our kids clean their bathrooms and do their laundry and they do a pretty good job.

If a 13 can't clean bathrooms, does anyone in the family clean them or do you hire someone? Adults poop neater than kids.

When I was 12 I started helping to clean the bathrooms at our family's retail store. I also helped my mom clean my grandmas house on Fridays.

It is not unreasonable to ask a 12 year old kid to clean a family bathroom. They aren't snowflakes.

People need to get a grip and stop being such germaphobes.

This is completely normal, our friends have assigned their daughter the chore of cleaning the bathroom since she was 8. It is a “big chore” though so she only has to do it every few weeks, not each week or daily.

Yes. I was an only child and mom and I cleaned the apartment and then house once every two weeks. I did bathrooms most of the time. It's not hard.

Omg yes!! Kids can and should clean the bathroom and do chores.

I’m not surprised some teens would be afraid to clean bathrooms. Many adults are afraid to clean bathrooms, as evidenced on this thread (and the countless others on DCUM about house cleaners.)

I would be so embarrassed if I didn’t know how to clean or was afraid to. Same with my children.

Yes. We also have an only child. He cleans toilets, sometimes unprompted!, will mop, do dishes, trash, things like dusting or vacuuming or laundry, and lots of yard work. We do not have cleaners or landscapers. It's a PITA, but there isn't a lot of opportunity to say no or confront privilege, so this is one way we choose to do it.

As a result at 15 he can cook, clean, and do some basic house stuff. That's more than I can say for a lot of adults so even if he complains now and then I consider it a win. You're helping her grow up.

I wouldn’t make my child clean toilets that adults poop in. Toilets used by their siblings are okay. Or quick pee by adults maybe also okay. Same as nanny basically.

Clean shower is fine.

Totally normal. My 7 year old cleans the bathroom (not well / we do it again) but yep, training my kids to do it them selves.