Alright, let’s take a little stroll down memory lane here. Think back to when you were a kid and your parents or grandparents asked you to do certain chores around the house. I’m talking about some seriously old-school tasks that modern kids would totally rebel against, and claim violate their fundamental human rights.
We’re talking about chores that existed way before the internet, smartphones, or really any modern technology came into the picture to make our lives easier. Heck, for some of these they didn’t even have electricity or running water!
I can picture the horrified looks on kids’ faces today if their parents asked them to do some of these vintage chores. The tantrums, the eye-rolls, the “This is child labor!” protests would be real, folks.
So let’s take a fun little glimpse into the past, shall we? Get ready to be amazed by 9 crazy-sounding old-fashioned chores that your modern kid would totally turn their nose up at.
Churning Butter
Can you imagine having to make your own butter from scratch? Like physically churning cream for what felt like forever just to get a small amount?
My grandma had to do this as a kid, and she regaled us with tales of her achy arm muscles from all that intense churning action. Kids nowadays would likely do a spit take if you asked them to churn their own butter before putting it on toast.
Heating Bricks for Bed Warmers
This one just sounds bonkers to modern ears. My great-grandparents lived in a drafty old farmhouse with no central heating, so they’d have to heat up special bricks in the oven and wrap them in flannel as bed warmers at night.
I’m sure kids today couldn’t fathom the audacity of being asked to do manual labor just to avoid freezing their tootsies off at bedtime.
Beating Rugs Outdoors
Maybe it’s just me, but this old-timey chore sounds like some weird antiquated torture method. Apparently, you’d have to literally hang rugs over a clothesline and whack them vigorously with a carpet beater to get the dust and grime out.
I can only imagine the allergy attack a kid today would have if asked to do that! I’ll take my modern vacuum, thanks.
Tending a Compost Heap
Composting is trendy now, but back then it was just part of everyday life out of necessity.
From collecting scraps to manually turning the pile with a pitchfork, “taking out the compost” was way more labor intensive.
I feel like most kids wouldn’t exactly jump at the chance to get their hands dirty with rotting food waste like that.
Ironing EVERYTHING
Do you think getting wrinkles out of shirts is bad enough? Try meticulously ironing sheets, pillowcases, dishcloths—you name it—with a hot iron that had to be heated on the stove.
Making a kid do that now would basically be grounds for being reported to Child Protection Services. Or perhaps not, but you have got to agree that our forbears were tough as nails!
Rendering Lard or Tallow
This old food prep chore sounds so foreign now that it’s basically unrecognizable. Families would have to take any extra animal fats and painstakingly “render” or process them into cooking lard or tallow for other uses.
I can’t imagine getting kids on board with manually handling and melting down gobs of raw animal fat like that. But that was the reality back then.
Laundry by Hand
We all sometimes dread doing laundry, but at least we have machines for it. Used to be that laundry day meant hand-washing every garment in a washtub using a washboard and good old-fashioned elbow grease.
Then you’d still have to hand-wring out every item before hanging to dry. No kid is raising their hand to volunteer for that full-body workout!
Bringing in Pails of Water
Many homes didn’t originally have running water, so kids would be tasked with the daily chore of literally hauling buckets of fresh water inside from a well or pump for washing, cooking, and cleaning.
Definitely a far cry from just turning on a tap like we’re used to now!
Splitting and Stocking Firewood
In the days before heating systems, gathering and prepping firewood was one of the most essential chores, especially in colder months.
We’re talking about using an axe to split logs, hauling the chunks inside, and carefully building and maintaining fires. It makes shoveling the driveway seem easy by comparison!
Yes, people still split firewood for fireplaces, but it’s mostly by choice these days.
As much as we might grumble about having to do dishes, laundry, or other basic housework, we really have it made compared to how things used to be.
I don’t know many kids today who would willingly sign up to spend hours upon hours doing arduous physical labor like hauling water from a well or beating rugs over clotheslines. That’s not even getting into the truly stomach-churning ones like rendering animal fat. Hard pass!
Thinking about it really gives you an appreciation for how far we’ve come in terms of housekeeping efficiency and quality of life.
Sure, keeping a home clean and maintained still requires effort. But doing regular chores with our modern tools and appliances is an infinitely less physically demanding experience compared to back in the day.
We may be generations removed now, but those old-school household tasks give a fascinating insight into just how grueling mundane tasks used to be for the sake of basic survival and comfort.
So next time you find yourself grumbling about cleaning the toilet or loading the dishwasher, maybe give your ancestors a little mental high-five. Because as far as chores go, you honestly have it pretty cushy by comparison these days.
