Skip to main content
FamilyEducation
FamilyEducation
Family Education

FE-Menu

  • Pregnancy
    • <blank>
      • Pregnancy Tracker
      • Trying to Conceive
      • Signs & Symptoms
      • Pregnancy Health
    • <blank>
      • Baby Names
      • High Risk Pregnancies
      • Preparing for Baby
    • <blank>
      • Concerns & Complications
      • Labor & Delivery
      • Postpartum
  • Baby Names
    • <blank>
      • Browse All Baby Names (A-Z)
      • Top Names for Boys
      • Top Names for Girls
      • Baby Name Generator
    • <blank>
      • Baby Name Lists & Ideas
      • First Names By Origin
      • Browse All Last Names (A-Z)
      • Last Names by Origin
  • Babies
    • <blank>
      • Caring For Your Baby
      • Baby's Health
      • Feeding Your Baby
    • <blank>
      • Your Baby and Sleep
      • Baby's Growth & Development
      • Baby Hygiene
    • <blank>
      • Baby Safety
      • Baby Products
    • <blank>
  • Toddlers
    • <blank>
      • Toddler Growth and Development
    • <blank>
      • Toddler Behavior and Discipline
    • <blank>
      • Your Toddler and Sleep
  • Kids
    • <blank>
      • Health
      • Childhood Development
      • Fitness & Nutrition
      • Childhood Safety
    • <blank>
      • Communicating with Your Kids
      • Childhood Behavior and Discipline
      • Fostering Responsibility
      • Instilling Values & Manners
    • <blank>
      • Childcare
      • Neurodiversity in Kids
      • Adopting Children
  • Teens
    • <blank>
      • Teen Health
      • Teen Puberty & Sex
    • <blank>
      • Behavior & Discipline
      • Teen Social Development
    • <blank>
      • Values & Responsibilities
  • Activities
    • <blank>
      • Printables
      • Indoor Activities
      • Learning Activities
      • Arts and Crafts
      • Performing Arts
      • Food Activities
      • Outdoor Activities
    • <blank>
      • Books
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Online
      • Quizzes
      • Games
      • Celebrities
    • <blank>
      • Parties
      • Travel
      • Toys
      • Holidays
      • Gifts
  • Learning
    • <blank>
      • By Grade
      • By Subject
      • College
      • Preschool
    • <blank>
      • Back to School
      • Study Skills
      • Learning Styles
    • <blank>
      • Homeschooling
      • Parental Involvement
      • Your Child's School
  • Family Life
    • <blank>
      • Mom Life
      • Dad Life
      • Family Relationships
      • Having a Healthy Marriage
      • Divorce
    • <blank>
      • Health & Fitness
      • COVID Resources
      • Managing Your Home
      • Moving Your Family
      • Pets
    • <blank>
      • Family Finances
      • Work
      • Families and Food
  • NewslettersNewsletters
    Newsletters

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Teens
  3. Teen Values and Responsibilities
  4. Jobs, Chores and Money
  5. Setting Deadlines For Teens

Setting Deadlines for Teens

Find tips on how to get teenagers to finish chores on a deadline.
  • facebook share icon
  • pin
  • twitter share icon
  • email share icon
  • Print page icon

Setting Deadlines for Teens

Info Flash

A study conducted by Dr. Laurence Steinberg of Temple University revealed that a higher incidence of anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, and alcohol abuse was found in children of overindulgent families than in children from homes in which parents set consistent boundaries and responsibilities. Taking on household responsibilities really is good for children!

Chores need deadlines—relatively tight deadlines for daily chores, and more lenient deadlines for less frequent chores. On evenings when everyone has eaten dinner together (perhaps at 7 P.M.), family members should know that dinner dishes must be done by 8 P.M. (and you can always point out that with a chore such as kitchen clean-up, the sooner they do it the less difficult it is). Laundry should be folded shortly after the dryer stops to reduce wrinkling. If your teen is in the middle of something at that point, ask him when he can do the folding (in 15 minutes? in 30 minutes?) and set the kitchen timer to remind him.

An advantage to setting a loose deadline for weekly chores (such as wiping down the porch furniture before Friday at 6 P.M.) is that your teen can feel more freedom as to when the chore is done and will learn a different type of responsibility. If he does it Thursday, then Friday afternoon he can get the weekend off to an early start with his friends.

If you're at work in the afternoon when your teen arrives home, you've got a perfect opportunity to delegate specific chores with a set deadline. Your child can start dinner or organize the house for you in the afternoon, at her leisure—so long as it's done before you get home. Leave a checklist for each afternoon, detailing what dinner is planned and what must be done ahead of time.

As schedules change, you'll need to conduct a chore review so that family members still have an assignment they can maintain with their new schedule.

Was this article helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

What's hot

  • 14-Year-Old Doesn't Know If His Penis Is Big Enough TeensI Need Help! Is my penis too…
  • Breast Buds: My Daughter's Breast Hurts Should I Be Worried? TeensBreast Buds: My Daughter…
  • Teen Budget Worksheet TeensTeen Budget Worksheet
  • Tips for a Successful After-Prom Party TeensTips for a Successful After-…
NewslettersNewsletters
Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.
Family Education
FamilyEducation does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Information on our advertising guidelines can be found here.

FE Footer

  • Newsletter Center
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Policy
  • Editorial Team
  • Expert Panel
  • Medical Review Policy
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Site Map
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info (for CA Residents)
sandbox learning logo
Family Education is part of the Sandbox Learning family of educational reference sites for parents, teachers, and students. 

factmonster logoinfoplease logoTeacherVision logo

sandbbox logo
©2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company.