This article explores children's attitudes to whether or not they should be expected to participate in household chores. The article draws on questionnaire data and classroom discussions with 446 children aged between 14–15 years residing in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Helping others and developing a sense of responsibility were key themes invoked by children to explain their attitudes to whether or not children should participate in household work. Some children drew on notions of mutual reciprocity and interdependence to characterise relationships within the household and to justify why all household members should contribute to household work.
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