Chore Chart

Hi D.,

We're using the House Fairy system. Go to www.housefairy.com... it's working like a charm for my 4-yr old. She actually reminds me we need to clean!

Good luck!
P.

My husband and I do "tokens" Our kids get one for every family job that they do. My boys are 3 and 4 so you may want to change it up a bit. But when we introduced this to them they really wanted to earn these tokens so they dtarted doing things that weren't asked of them! We take them away when they pout our fight or diobey, and they really do not like that they get taken away so they have behaves a lot better too. Once they get a stack of 25 they get to go to the dollar store, or they can choose to keep the stacks going for a bigger price. If they get 5 stacks of 25 they have earned $20. Hope this helps!

I think a chore chart with a cash allowance is a big incentive for kids. I started doing this with my 3 year old, simple things like help Mom make your bed, get dressed, brush teeth, take a nap, and stay all night in your own bed. I give her a dollar a day for doing all of her things. When she doesn't want to do them I tell her she won't get her money and she almost always immediately does them. She puts .50 cents in savings and .50 cents in spending. When she wants something extra like toys, or princess things I ask if she has saved enough money. You can teach them about money as well as responsibility.
I realize your children are older but you're not asking to much. I would say you should ask more of them. There is a time for playing and a time for working. Good luck!

Go to theideadoor.com, they have chore charts & age appropriate chores. I have used this site for my husband also. It explains what to do when cleaning a certain room in the house. It also helps to do the chores all together. When everyone gets their work done then you can all go & do something fun. I found that if you keep the routine they will quikley get used to how it goes.
Good Luck!-E.

Chore charts have worked well in my house. I work out of the home and my husband goes to school full time so I need the help. My kids a 7,5 and 3 and all of them have age appropriate chores.

I use dltk-cards.com to make my own customized charts and fill it in with what we need to work on this week---no whining, sitting still at the dinner table, etc.---in addition to morning and evening routines. My oldest has a developmental delay similar to ADHD and as long as he is given a list/script of what to do he complies well and it eliminates my frustration of always asking and never getting.

I have a list of rewards with appropriate points---my kids last year all saved 200 points and they all got fishies! (you can make it what you want) I am also a really bad mom in that if they are really good at the store I want to get them something. Now I ask them if they have the points to buy and if they do they can redeem them. For example, 100 points is $10---$5 to spend and $5 to save in their bank. Now I am saving money and not being impulsive OR teaching them to be either. We also do things like trips to the movies, zoo, or favorite museums for points too.

There are a number of chore chart ideas out there, even a software one for your computer---just type "chore chart" into a search engine, if you haven't already---that's how I got a lot of my ideas. I tend to stay away from those with demerit systems since my kids are still young and I want to keep it positive. I hope you find something that works.

Best wishes!

I saw the coolest idea on SuperNanny the other day. Fishing for Chores. She had chores written on fish with magnets and a pole with a magnet at the end. Mom divied up so that each child had a certain number of chores (1-3) and that was their chore for the day or week, you set the time and number. Then you can stick them on the fridge, under their name. I think this makes the child part of the process instead of mom dictating everything. My kids are still too young to use this but I can wait to try it.

I have a 5, 4 and 2 yr old, and with my older two I have a treasure box that they earn quarters for doing their chores and behaving that on a scheduled day a week they take all their earned money and buy from the box. They do get their money taken away as well for misbehaving, not listening among anything else that they shouldn't be doing. The prizes in their treasure box are small item that they had shown interest in at the stores. They have to earn them just like us as their parents have to earn the money from working. They have listened more, respected their toys more, and just are so much better behaved for it. Oh and my 5 yr old was and is a very picky eater that we deceided to give him a quarter just for trying a new food that he otherwise would not have tried. Works like a charm. One other thing that we do is, at night when they are in bed they lose all of the items that they had not put away in their places, and they have to buy each one back with a quarter before they are allowed to buy any other item in the box. They love it and it is a family project. Wish you good luck in whatever you choose to do!!!

I have a friend who swears by the House Fairy. You can find out more at the housefairy.org but the gist is that if your child follows his/her responsibilities, the house fairy (Santa's sister) visits at night and leaves a surprise, if not she leaves her fairy (glitter) dust and a note to try harder next time. I know that there is a fee for this online service, but if you'd rather I'm sure you could let your imagination run with this one.

Chore charts are great!
As they get older you can add chores- keep it simple to start with as you don't want to overwhelm them. I have a thing that if the chores are not completed then they lose a tv day or if they do there chores for a whole week without goofing off- reward them by going out for ice Cream or something simple but fun.

Hope that helps! C.