Chore Time
Back in the swinging Sixties, kids weren’t just hanging around watching TV and they certainly weren’t playing video games. Instead, they were a big part of keeping the household running. Parents would give out chores, and doing them was non-negotiable. Some jobs were tedious, others downright tough, but they all taught responsibility. Here are 20 household chores kids were expected to do in the ’60s.
Helping With Laundry
Washing clothes wasn’t as easy as tossing them into a modern washer and dryer. In many homes, laundry still meant wringers, clotheslines, and lots of lifting. Kids helped sort, hang clothes outside, and bring them back in before it rained. Folding was part of the gig too.
Taking Out the Trash
In the 1960s, kids didn’t get out of dealing with garbage duty. Taking out the trash meant hauling heavy metal cans, often without liners, to the curb. The smell wasn’t pleasant, and raccoons sometimes got into it, but kids were expected to keep the household tidy.
Mowing the Lawn
Forget riding easier mowers. Kids in the 1960s often pushed a clunky reel mower across the yard. It took effort, especially in summer heat, but keeping the grass short was important. Sometimes dads made it a “manly” chore for sons, and those sons might start a little business mowing other lawns.
Making Their Beds
Every morning started the same way- pull up the sheets, smooth out the blanket, and fluff the pillow. Kids in the ’60s weren’t allowed to leave for school until their bed looked presentable. Parents thought it taught discipline, but boy did kids complain.
Polishing Shoes
Before sneakers became the everyday standard, polished shoes were a must. Kids often had to shine their school shoes and sometimes even Mom or Dad’s work shoes. Every household had a tin of polish waiting to be used.
Dusting Furniture
Feather dusters or rags with furniture polish were commonly handed to kids in the 60s. Dusting wasn’t optional - it was expected weekly, sometimes daily, depending on how fast the surfaces collected dirt. Mom’s collection of knick-knacks had to be kept dust-free as well.
Shoveling Snow
In snowy states, winter meant kids bundling up and tackling the driveway with a heavy shovel. There weren’t snowblowers in most homes, so it was all backbreaking work. Parents saw it as building character. To be fair, kids did sometimes get paid for it.
Raking Leaves
Fall wasn’t just about colder days and Halloween (back then it was just one night instead of an entire month) - it also meant endless raking. Kids were expected to grab a rake and tackle the yard, often bagging leaves by hand.
Beating Rugs
Vacuum cleaners weren’t as powerful as today’s models, so kids were sometimes sent outside to beat rugs with a carpet beater or broom. It was dusty, dirty, and exhausting, but it worked. The problem was, though, that it often left you coughing.
Doing the Dishes
Long before dishwashers were common, kids in the ’60s spent plenty of time at the sink. If you happened to have a lot of siblings, one would wash, another would dry, and a third would put everything away. And you couldn’t just wing it, Mom would check for leftover dirt.
Cleaning Bathrooms
Think about how dirty your average bathroom can get – well, in the ‘60s, it was even dirtier than that. And it was often the responsibility of a kid to clean it out. Parents believed that cleaning a bathroom taught kids to be humble and efficient… but it also meant they didn’t have to do it themselves.
Helping in the Garden
Many families grew vegetables in the ’60s, and kids were part of the team. This was a pretty good household chore all in all, as it provided kids with exercise and taught them about where their food came from. In fact, plenty want to bring this back.
Washing Windows
Sparkling windows were a big deal in the ’60s, and bored kids were often handed a bucket of water, some vinegar, and a rag to make them shine. Screens had to be popped out, and smudges weren’t tolerated. It wasn’t a fun chore, but it kept kids busy for an afternoon.
Ironing Clothes
Older kids were usually trusted with the iron, which was no small thing considering the danger. You ended up with burns on your fingers, and of course if you left the iron unattended you could potentially burn the whole house down.
Feeding Pets
Pets weren’t spoiled with automatic feeders in the ‘60s, the kids had to feed them. Sometimes it was food purchased from a store and sometimes it was table scraps. It was a way of teaching kids responsibility for another living creature – but these days the parents seem to do all the pet care.
Cleaning Out Ashtrays
With smoking common in nearly every home, ashtrays filled up quickly. One of the less glamorous chores kids had to do was emptying them out. It was smelly and messy, but it was part of the household routine. No one thought much about it at the time - it wasn’t until later everyone learned how dangerous smoking is.
Washing the Family Car
A Saturday tradition for many kids in the 1960s was scrubbing down the family car. With a bucket of soapy water and a sponge, they’d clean every inch, rinse it with the hose, and then dry it with old towels. It was quite fun if the sun was shining.
Running Errands
Never mind stranger danger. Kids were often sent to the corner store with a list and some cash, and picking up cigarettes for parents wasn’t unusual in the ’60s. It gave kids independence and responsibility, even if it seems shocking today.
Setting the Table
Dinner was a proper family event in the 1960s, and kids were responsible for setting the table. That meant laying out plates, cutlery, glasses, and even napkins sometimes, all properly placed. No tossing things down casually - parents expected order. Now, table setting is a lost art.
