Saturday, April 28, 2012

Chores, Yet Again

MaryKate begged and begged for me to buy her this child-sized broom.  She calls it her "little sweep" and having child-sized cleaning tools really helps with the motivation factor : )

Well, since my last post was rather heavy and the one before that rather comical, I thought I should do a  practical post.  Plus, it's been awhile since I have talked about chores and getting my children to "help" around the house.  

We are still doing our chore chart that I purchased from "Doorposts" and it's divided up into daily and weekly jobs (see picture below.)  I rotate these jobs monthly so that no one gets too tired of one job.  Their daily jobs should be done in the morning and sometimes afternoon as well (like the straighten living room or school room job and feeding the animals.)  The weekly jobs we all do together on Saturday.  It's been a little crazy lately with soccer season (3 kids' games on Saturday) plus tennis tournaments for my 13 year old but we pretty much get it done.  I do the sheets and my older daughter, husband and I all chip in and do the bathrooms. Everyone else does their jobs. 

 Well, I was getting tired of reminding everyone, especially for daily jobs.  I also got tired of nagging about starting school on time and doing their independent work first thing in the morning, like math drills and handwriting.  So I started a new little chart for allowance.  They each get a quarter for every year they are old for their allowance.  I've been pretty slack about remembering allowance and I don't like paying them just for being my child (that like entitlement payment :)but I do like to pay them for the work they do.  I put the below little chart up every week with the number of circles next to their name representing the number of quarters they get per week.  If they don't do their daily chores, are not starting school on time, not finishing and putting-up their school work up when done, or having a bad attitude about school, then they get a quarter crossed off.  On Saturday afternoon they receive their allowance based on the quarters that are left.  It's been a great system so far (as long as I remember to have the cash on Saturday to pay them : )  I love this system because it keeps them and me accountable and cuts out a lot of nagging and fussing on my part.  Hope this helps someone out there.  blessing!

My little helper in front of the chore chart.  I love using the clothes pins with the children's names on them instead of the sticky notes I used to use.

I make a little list every week of the "quarter chart" for their allowance. 

3 comments:

  1. I like the quarter chart, I think we will start that. Everyone is really slipping in their work lately. We need a boost to get back on track before summer starts. Thanks! and Blessings to you too :)

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  2. Great Idea, I have used the chore pack from the Maxwell's and really like it. I have been having such a hard time getting back to it...I keep saying I will start next week. Your daughter is just so sweet, my Shayla would love a broom!

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  3. This is a great post, thanks for writing it

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