What has worked for you all? Do you change chores, between children, weekly or monthly? Do you pay them an allowance and how much? Do you use a chart or do they just know what chores are theirs?Thanks!!
ps- I'm taking a little break- from just about everything this week. I had a little medical "procedure" done last week and I have been taking it easy and resting. So I apologize for not returning phone calls, emails, etc. I am fine- no worries. I should be back up and running (ok, maybe walking) next week.
3 comments:
When we are all teenagers (so might not work for little kids) my mom had a giant white board hanging in the kitchen that was divided into six sections, one for each member of the family including mom and dad. She would write a chore at the top of each persons section at the beginning of the week. That was our chore for the week. The next week each chore was rotated to the right. If you didn't do your chore you couldn't go out on the weekend or whatever. When we were little she used the chart and sticker thing but I'm not sure how effective it was. She told me later that it was harder work trying to get the kids to do the chores, when she could have done them herself in half the time but that's the only way we learned to do the work. I have yet to worry about kids doing chores but I'm sure it will be here before you know it so let me know what works for you!
I have stuggled with this so much! I want my kids to learn responsibility, but nothing seems to work for very long. That being said, our most recent effort is working much better than anything else has. And I've tried all the sticker charts I could find!
I made small job cards on the computer and printed them on cardstock. I cut them out and have them in a snack-size ziplock bag. I put two magnets inside it so that the bag sticks to the refrigerator. We have "chore time" every day. I shuffle the cards and then the boys draw cards out of the bag and do the chores. Each chore is worth a certain number of points (most are 5, but the really hard ones are 10). When all the chores are done, I add up their totals. We keep track of points on a small magentic white board we keep on the fridge. When their points add up to a certain number, they earn computer or video game time. They also know that if they don't do a good job, they won't get the points for the job.
We don't do an allowance yet mostly due to financial constraints, but earning points for privileges seems to work well. I couldn't believe how excited they are to do chores. They also don't get bored with it since they have different jobs each time. Sometimes I offer optional bonus jobs that are harder and worth a whole lot more points. These get them really exicted!
Good luck!
I hope you feel better soon!
Last week I bribed my kids with a pack of gum to help me scrub the house! I say whatever works.
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