Are Household Chores a Form of Child Labor?

In my opinion, whether household chores are a form of child labor really depends on the specific situation. 

On one hand, I don’t think the chores I do around the house are child labor at all. I have a few regular tasks like keeping my room clean, helping with the dishes after meals, and doing my own laundry. My parents say these are just normal responsibilities that will help me learn to be independent. They make sure I still have plenty of time for my stuff like , hobbies, and fun. I don’t feel overworked or that it’s interfering with my life.

However, I can imagine situations where household chores could cross the line into child labor. If a child had to do back-breaking work for hours every day, it would be wrong. If a family made their kids skip school to work at home, that’s not okay. And if the chores were really dangerous, like operating heavy machinery, that’s clearly not appropriate for a child.

And just to summarize, I think reasonable, age-appropriate chores that are balanced with school, play, and rest are just part of growing up. But excessive, hazardous work that a child has to do for their family is a form of child labor, even if it’s in the home. It’s about the nature and amount of the work, not necessarily the location,

but I lean more towards household chores being normal as long as they are manageable and don’t interfere with a child’s wellbeing and education. But I also believe we need to protect kids from being exploited, even by their own families. 

Written by Alice Njoki