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Workarama: All work and no play for young people?

BBC World Class is asking schools around the world to share their pupils' experiences of work and chores.

Send us your pupils' answers to these four questions. Join the Workarama - we want to hear your views!

What work do you do at home?

What work do you do outside the home?

Are you paid for any of the work you do?

What is the money spent on?


Send us the name and location of your school and the age of pupils taking part.

Please confirm in the email that you are the teacher and that you have headteacher permission for the BBC to publish your pupils’ answers on BBC output.

The answers will be listed by school name and age group, unless you prefer your school's answers to be anonymous. If so, tell us in your message.

We will not be able to publish entire pieces of work, and there is no guarantee that your work will get published although we will publish as much as we can.

If your school has a twin school in another country, please tell us about them when you email.


Published: Monday, 8 June, 2009, 14:57 GMT 15:57 UK

All comments as they come in

Added: Tuesday, 6 October, 2009, 07:50 GMT 08:50 UK

In the summers between grades 6-8 I would do various jobs for cash such as picking strawberries and helping in my grandparents' garden, and would sometimes babysit during the year. Since then I have worked full time every summer (Hotel, Call Center) and for one fall term I worked part-time during school (Grade 11). A variety of household chores and meal preparation was also expected I also worked full-time (or more) every summer during university and part-time for one fall semester.

Nicole, Charlottetown

Added: Thursday, 10 September, 2009, 15:02 GMT 16:02 UK

My mother teaches people to dance aerobics. I help my mother to set the stereo. I dance aerobics with my mother. I receive 30 bahts pocket money from my mother. She gives that money to me because I help her to set the stereo. I always deposit my money in the bank. I am very happy when I have lots of money in my bank account.

After I wake up I have a shower. Then I sweep the floor and scrub the floor. I have breakfast and watch television after doing the housework. If I have homework, I will do it but sometimes I play computer games or read books. When I have nothing to do I will sleep. If I have a special day, my mother will cook Thai Vermicelli Salad. I like it very much. It is delicious.

I don't have a job because I study hard. I have to learn, read books and study till late at night. Sometimes I play with my friends and go to shopping at the mall. I buy clothes, earrings, dresses and accessories.

At home I clean my room, wash the dishes and help my mother. I make breakfast, wash and iron my clothes. I watch TV at night. After that I talk on the phone with my friends and I do my homework.

When I'm at home I have to do housework such as sweeping the floor, mopping and washing dishes. I love to do housework because I know my mother is tired and I want to help her. I don't have to do any work outside because I'm not old enough to be hired for a job, even a part time job. My parents always say that now I should pay attention to my education instead of finding a job. Now my work is paying attention to my teacher and my money comes from my parents. Most of the money I get is usually spent on food and drinks. If I have enough money left I like to buy comic books. Now I'm interested in beauty products and I'm saving money for those.

My mother gives me 500 bahts for buying shoes, clothes, cartoon books and a film ticket on Sundays. Sometimes I keep money in the bank to buy necessary things in the future.

No, I don't work to get any money for myself. However my team collect papers and bottles for recycling. Then we sell them and keep the money to donate to the poor. After the examination my team will go to Baan Bang Kae 2 and donate some money to them. Baan Bang Kae 2 is the latest home for old people who are neglected by their families. They have a few nurses to take care of them but it is not enough. So we are going to help them and donate some money to them.

Read more comments from this school on the BBC World Class website: ******** /20090910_workarama_sainampeung.shtml

Sainampeung School, Bangkok

Added: Thursday, 10 September, 2009, 14:24 GMT 15:24 UK

Whilst at home I don’t do a lot. My mum does almost everything. I only ever clean my own room. I don’t cook because I can’t cook, I just burn everything. I don’t ever do dishes because I have a dishwasher. My mum does all the ironing and hoovering. I am not that lazy it’s just because my mum does it better. I would like to get a job but I can’t until I turn 16. Instead my mum gives me money. I spend the money on clothes and going out with friends. I occasionally help my nana clean her house and I get money for that.

When I am at home I don’t usually do much of the housework. My mum mostly does the laundry, loads the dishwasher, hoovers and polishes. On the days my mum works late I usually do these and also cooking. I used to have a part time job working at a hairdresser’s just cleaning and washing hair. I got paid £20 per day. I usually save up for a month then spend it on clothes. Unfortunately I am unable to receive more than the minimum wage. I have to wait until at least 16 to get a proper job.

At home I look after my little brothers and sometimes wash the dishes and help my mum tidy up the house. I don’t get paid but my mum gives me money when I ask for it or when I need it for something. I don’t do any work outside home now but when my mum used to own her own hairdresser’s I helped out there. I spend the money my mum gives me on going out places and the cinema.

My nana just had a major hip operation and I helped her by doing the dishes, ironing and hanging out the washing. My grandma has rheumatoid arthritis in her hands and feet and also her knees. I help her by hoovering, dishes, polishing and ironing. By helping out my gran and nana I earn about £8 every week.

I help my mum by keeping my room tidy, also if she is out I take the dogs out and hoover and clean the living room. I get about £10 a week which I either use on clothes, shoes, top up or going out like ice skating or the cinema with my friends.
I don’t really do any work outside apart from sometimes I wash my dad’s car, which I get about £5 for, but that’s really it.

The things I do at home are clean my bedroom and do the dishes. And when I am outside I help my mum to do the garden like water the flowers. I get £10 for doing the things I do. I spend it on clothes and shoes then I get something for my mum and sister and my mum’s boyfriend.

I do whatever work I am given like keeping my room tidy and sometimes doing the dishes. I take out the dog morning, lunch and dinner. My mum would sometimes take my dog out but mostly me. Sometimes I can’t sit still so I clean around the house. I mostly do nothing outside except hang out with friends but that isn’t work! I can’t think of anything else I do outside that would be classified as work. My grandad gives me £20 a fortnight but he just gives me that to buy clothes with. If my grandad doesn’t give me the money he usually gives me £40 the next fortnight. After my grandad gives me the money, I give it to my mum and she gets food. Sometimes she uses the money for electricity. She also sometimes spends it on me and my brother.

I do quite a lot of chores around the house like drying the dishes and cleaning my room. Both of these things are pretty boring. If I do all my chores I get paid money but I usually spend it straight away but sometimes I save it up. Right now I am saving for a games console.

Things I do around the house: I hoover twice a week, I help with the dishes, I go to the shops sometimes and I take the rubbish out every morning. I only get paid for the hoovering. I get paid £5 a week. I don’t usually spend it straight away; I save it up so I can buy something actually worth keeping.

At my house I have to clean the cat litter tray sometimes but I only have to do little bits here and there like wash the dishes, and clean and hoover my room, my mum does the rest. Outside the house I only have to run to the shops and get bits and bobs like bread and milk when we run out. When I do the cat litter tray I get £3 and when I do the hoovering I get a £1 each room I do, except my room I don’t get money for that because my mum says it’s my mess so I have to clean it. When I go to the shops I get to spend the change. The money I get I spend on sweets usually or I go up town and buy different things like jewellery.

Well I help my mum do the ironing and I tidy my own room, I also take my dog for a walk, I sometimes wash the dishes and hoover up. I help my granny because she is blind in her left eye. So I hold her arm so she doesn’t bang into things. I am sometimes paid for the chores I spend it on sweets or accessories.

The work I do at home is make my bed everyday and open my curtains in the morning and hoover my carpet. I don’t do any work outside, I just go out and play I don’t get paid for doing my work in the house but I get £10 at the end of the week. I spend my money on clothes, sweets and DVDs.

I clean my room and sometimes hoover. I also make my mum and dad a cup of tea without them asking so I get rewarded for it. Outside the house I cut the grass, pull the weeds out and clean out my mum’s shed. Yes I get paid for the chores that my mum and dad ask me to do. I spend the money on things I need.

At home I clean my room and sometimes do my own ironing. I don’t do any kitchen or housework, just clean my room. Outside I don’t have to work. I’m still young and just go out to play with my friends. When I clean my room I am given £25 every week. I usually would save it until I want or really need something new. So I would probably buy clothes or go out to the cinema or something good to spend a day or night out.

I’m in the 2nd year at WHEC. I do jobs around the house such as tidying my room, hanging out washing, weeding the driveway, setting the table for dinner and feeding my cats. Outside of the home I do not do much work as I am under the employment age in Scotland. I do not get paid for any of the jobs I do. When I get money I tend to save it so I can buy something more useful than sweets.

The work I do at home is cleaning and dusting my room, putting my clothes in my drawer and helping my mum with my little sister. Outside my home I do things like taking my little sister outside and help my granny with her shopping. I get paid about £15 a week for doing this. The money is spent on clothes, make up and other stuff that I need to use daily.

In my home I help tidy up around the house and pick up after my little sister. I do my own washing and occasionally cook my own dinner if I don’t want what my mum is making. I don’t have a job but I am looking for one. Any money I get I spend on clothes or keep for going out places. I don’t get paid for work I do around the house, but I get pocket money once a week and I get paid from school for staying on another year.

When I am home I prefer to tidy my own room as I don’t like people going through my things. Also if my mum needs help to hoover or iron I try my best to help. As I am only 15 years old I am too young to get a paid job so I sometimes work with my mum and get paid £30. I like to spend the money I earn on clothes or keep it if I am doing something with my friends. My mum works so hard for me I sometimes let her keep the money or I buy her something.

I tend to get pocket money at the end of the week, normally £10. Through the week I do my own washing, I wash the dishes I do the hoovering and occasionally I would make dinner. Sometimes out of school I would do my friends’ hair and get paid. I would either trim it or dye it. With the money I earn, I buy bags, make up and clothes.

Wester Hailes Education Centre, Edinburgh

Added: Friday, 4 September, 2009, 08:56 GMT 09:56 UK

Generally, most of my students spend their free time attending tuition classes at private tuition centres after the school (2.30pm). Time spent at home would be taking a short nap before the partents ferry them to tuition classes or engage in some outdoor games in the evening.

SMK Chung Hua Miri, Miri

Added: Friday, 28 August, 2009, 13:12 GMT 14:12 UK

I’m in Grade 9. I do chores around the house like wash the laundry. Sometimes when I wash the dishes, I get paid. I also do chores such as cleaning the house or wash the floors. I also do chores like plaiting hair, like braids. I also do chores like going to the shops when somebody else sends me. I also give the plants water. Sometimes I help with cleaning the yard.

I clean every Friday after school my bedroom. I wash sometimes people’s cars for some pocket money. Saturdays me and my cousin go fishing and sell them for R20.00 each. We also cut our friends hair at R10.00 a hairstyle. I am also involved in a community youth club called Rising Stars. We help to build our community in a spiritual way. I also go to my granny to keep her company during weekends in Gong-Gong.

I am a friendly person who likes to work. First thing when I come home from school I like to help my mother with the dishes but when I’m finish eating. Weekends I help my mother washing clothes, cooking, cleaning the house and cleaning my room. At the end of the month they give me pocket money and with it I buy toiletries for myself. Sometimes I go to my sister and help her clean her house, wash dishes and also clean the yard. When I’m finish she pays me R20.00 or R10.00 and with that money I help my people at the house. I buy meat, sugar or electricity. My next door neighbour likes to send me for electricity and when I come back she pays me R2.00 with which I buy sweets for myself. I share the sweets with my mother.

You can read more comments from this school on the World Class website: ********

Barkly West High School, North..., Barkly West

Added: Friday, 28 August, 2009, 13:07 GMT 14:07 UK

On the weekend I do the housework such as scrub the floor, sweep the floor, wash the dishes. I go to my uncle's house. I wash my uncle's car. When I've finished, he gives fifty baht to me. I keep my money for my tuition because my tuition is very expensive. It’s approximately 2,900 baht.

Jidapa, Bangkok

Added: Monday, 17 August, 2009, 13:46 GMT 14:46 UK

At home, I rarely do chores and mostly my mum and dad do them but sometimes I help out: washing the car, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, fixing computers/electrical stuff. Every night, I clean my room by making sure all my books and textbooks are put away in their files, making sure the bathroom is clean and generally tidying up the room. I hate it when it isn't clean. I get really stressed for some strange reason. I do the chores to help out my mum and give her a rest from her busy agenda/schedule.

At home, I do many chores on a weekly basis, including washing the dishes, doing the washing and brushing the floor in the kitchen, and hoovering the carpets in the living room and back room. I also do the polishing in these three rooms. Upstairs, I hoover the landing and my bedroom, as well as dusting the latter. My mum cleans the sink and toilet in the bathroom and dusts and hoovers her bedroom, as well as doing the ironing. I do my chores to help my mum, as otherwise, she would have to do them all single-handedly, and partly for my £3 wages!!

I don't do any chores, as my mum does them. I do occasionally do the gardening, but don't get paid for it.

I don't spend much time doing chores. The only chore which takes a considerable amount of time for me is shopping. I go to a small supermarket a couple of streets down from my house. Sometimes I also set the table for tea but that does not take long. Usually, I spend two hours a week on chores. I go shopping because my parents often need to look after my two younger siblings. No other serious chores are done because my parents aren’t too strict in that respect.

The only chore I do is tidy up my room every two weeks, My mum and dad do all the cooking and cleaning. I decide to clean my room because I cannot stand a dirty room. For this my mum gives me £10.

In my house, I do the hoovering, washing up, drying up, and I have to feed the rabbit. I have to do them because it’s only me, my mum and my brother. I don’t gain anything from it other than pocket money which I get anyway!

I do not do any chores most of the time, although I sometimes weed the garden or do the dishes on rare occasions. I do these chores for money or as a punishment. I gain money and learn lessons from these chores.

The chores I do are: cooking my breakfast, doing the dishes, tidying the living room and taking clothes off the washing line. I do these because my mum doesn’t want to do every job in the house. I get nothing for doing chores but if I don’t do them I get things taken away from me like I have to go to sleep earlier, I am not allowed to play video games and sometimes I am not allowed to watch TV.

I myself do not many chores; the only one that I do is washing the dishes. My mum usually does most of the household chores; I only do my bit when I need money.

Wirral Grammar School for Boys..., Bebington

Added: Friday, 14 August, 2009, 11:21 GMT 12:21 UK

At home, I’m used to doing a lot of chores and cleaning the house. Ordinary Malaysian parents won’t allow their children under eighteen to work outside the home. So it is with my parents. It is a no-no for us to work at any sales outlet or even in a bookshop. If I help my uncle with gardening, he will pay us quite a sum of money. Since I’m a girl who loves reading comics, I spend the money on comics.

Every summer when I go to Azad Kashmi for my vacation, my grandfather takes me to his farm and I help him with various tasks, feeding the hens, watering the plants, carrying things and even taking the guard dog for a walk! My grandfather doesn't pay me for the work but I'm eager to help him because I know that it makes him happy.

At home, the chores are divided amongst my three siblings and I. We take turns doing the laundry, sweeping, doing the dishes and sometimes even cooking. My mom very strongly believes that "if you make a mess, you clean it up," so keeping my room clean is up to me.

In my opinion, I have endless work to be done at home, but I always invent excuses. My work usually is to put away my clothes and help the maid but my most important job is to babysit my little sister. I am not paid directly for any work I do. However, my parents are actually paying me money in an indirect way by giving me money when I go to movies, invite my friends to eat in restaurants and in many other ways. I sometimes get money as a reward for babysitting. I spend this money quickly. I am not patient and therefore I can't save my money.

I worked outside home for the first time last year, during my summer holidays. I was employed by a bookshop as a sales assistant. Unfortunately, I haven't yet managed to find employment this year. Many companies said that this is mainly due to the credit crunch which has lead to a decline in recruitment. I got paid for my job as bookshop sales assistant last year and I am given pocket money by my mother for completing chores at home. I try to save at least a small portion of any money that I earn. However, sometimes it just becomes too hard to resist! I love spending my money on books and electronics.

Fridays are cleaning days. Surprisingly, I like it. We clean the whole house! I’m not paid but I know my parents appreciate what I do for them and I enjoy having responsibility. My parents repay me by taking me out every once and a while on my own. It’s like an “all mom and dad day” without the nuisance that is my brothers.

Some days, of my own free will and to pass the time, I'll water the garden, bake desert or cook lunch. This kind of work is appreciated, however, I do not get paid for any kind of work I do.

What I usually do to earn money is to do what my parents are tired of doing, like washing the dishes, babysitting my brother, tutoring him and, my favourite of all, washing the car! I don’t usually get paid for all this unless I'm short of money or need the money to get something I want. I really like pleasing my parents, but a kid always needs the money, right?

Wesgreen International School, Sharjah

Added: Tuesday, 4 August, 2009, 14:46 GMT 15:46 UK

I don’t do many chores. I only do things like putting things in the green bin and blowing the leaves out of the garden. I do them because I may get money.

I love doing chores: washing up, tidying my bedroom, dusting and polishing. Sometimes I get a reward like a new outfit or chocolate.

I tidy my bedroom and wash dishes. Sometimes I help my dad wash a car. I translate. I do stuff because my parents are happy when I help. I get money when I translate. I do it at home in England and Poland.

St Anthony's Catholic Primary ..., Leeds

Added: Wednesday, 29 July, 2009, 14:44 GMT 15:44 UK

My job is to feed the cow. I scrape up the cow’s poo in the scraper tractor with my dad. I like living on a farm.

My job is to clean my bedroom. I like my bedroom when it is clean. My favourite job is sweeping the floor because I like using a big broom.

My job is muck raking the maize and bedding the calves. The maize is food for the cows. You need clean bedding of straw and hay for the calves because if it’s dirty the animals would get maggots and they would be poorly.

Welshampton C of E Primary Sch..., Ellesmere, Shropshire

Added: Monday, 27 July, 2009, 14:10 GMT 15:10 UK

Work at home:

Sweeping the compound
Peeling food e.g potatoes, cassava, plantain
Cleaning latrines
Collecting firewood

Outside the home:

Office messenger, shopkeeper
Farm work, construction
Fetching water, cleaning roads
Typing documents

Some are not paid and for those who are paid, this is for work they do outside.

Money spent on:

Buying airtime, clothes, edibles
Hanging out with friends at beach, cinema halls
Internet cafes, DVDs
Buying scholastic materials e.g books

Ndejje Senior Secondary School

Added: Thursday, 23 July, 2009, 10:53 GMT 11:53 UK

My chores are to feed my animals, a guinea pig and a rabbit. And to keep my bedroom tidy and to help my mom tidy up downstairs. I get about £1.

At home my chores are mucking out my horse, cleaning my bedroom once a week and washing the dishes. I get no reward because all my pocket money goes to my mom for my horse riding lessons.

I have to wash the car and I wash up after dinner and I have to keep my bedroom tidy but I get £10.

Western Springs Community Prim..., Rugeley, Staffordshire

Added: Thursday, 23 July, 2009, 10:50 GMT 11:50 UK

At home, I take care of the dog by walking and feeding it. I also help to cook and wash up.

At home, I clean the bathroom, lock up at night and water the flowers. I sometimes get pocket money, and I save it up and buy things when I find something I want.

I hang the washing out and take it in again, and put away crockery. I also clean the bathroom and take out the rubbish.

I wash the dishes, look after my little brother and fold the laundry.

Seka Elementary School, Japan,...

Added: Wednesday, 22 July, 2009, 15:26 GMT 16:26 UK

I hoover all the bedrooms and brush the living room and kitchen floor. I polish the television and my trophies. Dad cleans the garden, I pick the weeds out and mow the grass. My Dad pays me one pound for every job I do.

When I help my mum I get £5 pounds because I work so hard to help my mum. When I do my chores I learn how to do certain things for when I am older.

I like to help my aunty because she has a broken arm and she has a lot of stress. I help my family and then my family help me.

Sutton Manor Primary, Year 6 (..., St Helens

Added: Wednesday, 22 July, 2009, 15:17 GMT 16:17 UK

I like doing chores because if things are a mess I have just got to tidy it up because I hate having a mess around me. For doing chores at home I either get a treat or I get a top up on my phone.

I take my dogs for a walk with my mum, wash the dishes and do tidying round my house. I get 50p for each job I do. I wash people’s cars on my street. I get £2 for each car.

Sometimes my Nan gives me money for doing jobs for her, but I don’t just do it for the money, I do it for fun.

Ysgol Llywelyn, Year 5 (age 9-..., Rhyl

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