DS and my friend's DS are both turning 6 in a week. My friend has been saying that there needs to be a lot of big changes when her DS turns 6, that she would like him to be a lot more independent.

While I agree but to me, both of our kids are very independent and I am wondering what else we could add onto the list to help them become more self sufficient. The things that my DS has been doing as a 5 year old:

- sets alarm clock and gets up each morning on his own
- gets dressed and come down on his own
- puts dishes in dishwasher, wipes table, sweeps floor after each meal at home
- gets his own milk (starting recently)
- packs his school bag each morning
- sets the table sometimes at dinnertime
- takes a shower by himself
- makes his bed (occasionally)
- folds 55-65% of his own laundry
- ties his shoelaces

My friend's DS knows how to clean his face in the bathroom after a meal which DS still needs to work on.

My friend said for them, at 6 years old we need to have more of a sense of privacy, as in we can't barge into the bathroom when someone is in it, or expect help during showertime, or you need to get dressed prior to coming out of the bathroom/room...etc.

DH was telling DS that when he turns 6, over the weekend, if he does xyz (chores), he can just go get the ipad for 20 minutes of play time and he should know when to stop, instead of having to ask us to unlock the ipad and setting an alarm for the permitted time.

What other ideas would you think one can implement for a 6 year old for positive change + independence? It doesn't have to be a chore / responsibility, it can be a privilege/ rule ...etc.

ETA: When do they go to the public bathroom all on their own? Right now I am still taking him to the ladies' room and I wonder when do I slowly change that.... but at the same time I am afraid he'd get locked in the stalls and couldn't get out by himself (happened on the airplane one time, yikes), or touch the urinals when he's peeing (yuck), or couldn't get soap /reach the sink and what not. haha