Although most teens dread their daily and weekly chores, they always perk up when you ask them to help with the tech stuff. Here are some easy and feel-good chores that the over-twelve crowd can do safely…
Shred Paper
Old report cards, outdated tax papers, old debit and credit cards, and personal correspondence should never be thrown in the recycling. For everyone’s privacy, it’s best to shred those documents and cards. Most high-security shredders can handle up to 10 sheets at a time, so depending on how many years of paper you’ve been storing the chore can take several hours. Most shredders automatically shut off after 30 minutes to give the machine time to cool down. Make sure your teen has earbuds and a great playlist to help the time pass.
Scan Artwork and Photos
We can thank (or curse) the Queen of Organizing, Marie Kondo, for making us want to purge our homes obsessively. Depending on which era you grew up in, your closets and storage rooms may be piled high with boxes of old photos. Ready to tackle this chore once and for all? Enlist a teen! Pay them if you have to, but it will be worth it. Disorganized and dusty boxes will disappear once the images are safely stored, digitally!
Cooking and Baking
These days, cooking and baking are just a couple of clicks away. Slow cookers have been replaced by Crockpots which just require simple ingredients, spices and easy-to-follow settings to produce gourmet meals. Whether your teen wants to make lasagna, shepherd’s pie, apple pie, yogurt, or fun appetizers, a Crockpot can do it all!