Wondering about the recent chore threads...

[K&Rs Mom]

I was just reading a few, and have looked at the handipoints site posted by someone here, but my dc don't really have "regular" chores. They are responsible for lots of things, but on an as-needed basis. As in, "you made a mess of crumbs, go vacuum under the table" or "clean laundry is in your room, put it in your dresser by bedtime." Nothing really happens on a strict weekly basis, and daily chores are so small they're not worth charting or managing (clear your place after eating or pick up your toys before dinner). Am I the only one? Talking to my IRL friends, I feel like I really make my kids work, but hearing about all of the fancy systems (index cards & monthly charts) around here makes me wonder if there's more to it. :)

[kat19]

We don't have a fancy system..

If something needs picked up, we pick it up.

Kids pick up their stuff when told and so on..

I wish I more organized with chores, but what we do, works for us.

 

I think if it works for you, why change it

[Scarlett]

Naturally the highly organized moms with lots of chores are more likely to post in such a thread. They inspire me though.

[Mrs Mungo]

http://www.chorewars.com

 

Set yourself up an account then set up a party. Then you can set up accounts for your kids and invite them to the party. Then you can use some of the pre-made "adventures" (aka: chores) and/or make your own. It's really easy to make up adventures, they have an online form you fill out.

 

Here are some examples of "adventures" that I put on the page for my kids:

 

Making a Bed

10 XP

reward: between 1 and 10 gold pieces

25% chance of treasure

45% chance of a wandering monster (bed bug, monster under bed)

 

Clearing the Table

10XP

reward: between 5 and 25 gold pieces

10% chance of a wandering monster (stuck on food)

 

Tidy Thy Floor

50XP

between 25 and 50 gold pieces

50% chance of treasure (missing game piece,legos,Barbie shoes,money,pokemon card)

50% chance of a wandering monster (rabid dust bunny,moldy food monster)

 

The game keeps track of how many gold pieces they've earned so it's less work for you. Then you can make a list of things they can "spend" their gold pieces on.

[Michelle T]

but now I just tell DS what I want him to do each day. Sometimes I write it on a slip of paper, just so he won't forget.

 

I'm pretty casual about chores. I generally have him do things like dust, mop, wipe down mirrors, or put away laundry.

Michelle T

[6packofun]

The things you mentioned don't fall under "chores" in our house, they are just expected and part of being responsible for your own stuff. :)

 

The things we assign as chores are more for learning opportunities, more complex cleaning or organization and also to be sure that everyone gets a chance at doing them AND gets a break FROM doing them. LOL With 6 kids, having assigned chores makes the list the bad guy instead of me, too. hehe

[angela in ohio]

which surprises people I know IRL. I am a list-writing, hyper-organized person. I have figured out, though, that not having a contrived system for chores has been the best way to get my dc to be hard workers. They each have things they are expected to do (11 yo dd does the laundry, 9 yo dd does the dishes, etc.) Many chores are done during a family cleaning time, in which everyone works hard to get things done. Other than that, the first person to see something that needs done, just does it. It saves me a world of time and energy. I am not the chore-dictator. :D

 

They have become very conscientious about helping out in this way. They even clean up at other people's houses without being asked to. They don't need rewards, they get respect if they work hard and discipline if they don't (which doesn't really happen much.)

[Maria from IN]

My 13 year old and I have been doing chorewars for a few weeks now, and he's really hot to get those points! All of these chores need to be done, and he's eager to help out, and telling him that the one gold point equals one penny isn't so bad, either!

 

It does help him keep track of things that need to be done and things he can do when Grandma's here, and I like coming home from class and seeing that the cat's fed, the mail is on the counter, the trash can is brought in from the curb, and the schoolroom is straightened up.

 

Of course, given the format of the website, we have gotten a little carried away with the adventure descriptions...

 

Vacuuming: "The Sucking of Dirt from the Floors of Either the Room of Living, the Room of Dining, the Room of Schooling, or the Hall of...Way."

 

Getting the Mail: "The Hoofing It of Thy Feet to the Box of Mail and Emptying the Contents Therein for Transport to Yon Kitchen Counter"

 

Sweeping the Porch: "The Swishing Back and Forth, Verily, of Thy Broom on Yon Concrete Slab that Greets Thy Neighbors"

 

...maybe we're having a little too much fun doing chores, no? :)

[BarbaraL in OK]

Another ChoreWars fan-family here -- we love it. I think I'm gonna steal your descriptions, Maria... I've been meaning to add sweeping (we have finished concrete floors throughout the main floor other than bedrooms & bathroom), and I love your mail and vacuuming description. Here are my favorite of the ones I wrote.

 

(We have a "put-away chair") "Putting away from the putting-away place: Taking from the putting-away place *everything* of which the true location is known to you but is not in your brother's room -- and putting it away in that true location."

 

Starting a load of laundry: "Filling the magical machine that washes cloths, commanding it to serve you, and closing the cover of quietness."

 

Taking out the trash: "Removing the little trash bags from one or both bathrooms, and depositing them in the great outdoor rolling can of removal."

 

Heehee.

[dirty ethel rackham]

The "you make the mess, you clean it up" mantra is always in effect here, but some things need regular attention and I am more than happy to hand them off. We don't do fancy chart and reward systems (I am not much into rewards other than the priveledge of eating:p), but we do have routines. Each child has personal care routines (brushing teeth, making beds, getting dressed, picking up rooms, etc.) plus household chores (sweeping the floor, emptying the dishwasher, wiping down bathrooms, sorting laundry, daily tidies (we are messy, absent-minded people here), starting dinner, setting/clearing the table, etc.) I used to use a laminate chart for them to check it off each day, mostly because I didn't want to keep asking if they did this or that. I got to just say "check your list -is everything done?" We only used them for a couple months until they knew what was expected. Now I only ask them how their routine is going.

[Pamela H in Texas]

We didn't have set chores when my kids were your children's ages. Instead, a couple times a day, we simply did what needed to be done. They would come to me and ask if they couldn't figure out what to do next. It's such a sweet sound to hear 2 and 6yr olds ask, "mommy, what can I do next?"

 

I think my kids were like 9 and 11 when we fell into our current routine. Occasionally we mix it up or whatever (like they recently just finished 2 weeks of doing each other's chores which gives them a new appreciation for doing them), but mostly, they like their chores, they are capable of any in the house (by 5 for dd and 7 for ds), and it works for us.

 

I'm not into fancy charts or cards or whatever. I would never last like that. I would definitely not do rewards or punishments with it as it is not a choice because you are part of the family. Well and I don't use rewards or punishments anyway.

 

Anyway, I think you're doing great on the basic responsibility part. Self-care, clean up own messes, help as family is WONDERFUL. I do kinda wonder if they are missing out on the opportunity to do FAMILY chores though. You didn't mention this part (or I missed it). Do they sweep or vacuum or dust a room cuz it needs it? Do they help wash the bathtub or the dog? Do they help with dishes or laundry? Their efforts may not be great at this point (and you might have to go back over things during quiet time!), but I do think these opportunities (and they can be done without charts or cards or any other such things) are good for kids also.

 

Hope that made some sense.

[Robyn]

Oh wow. I just checked out chore wars and set up an account. My 9 yr old is scrambling all over the house trying to earn XP.:) Thanks for the link. That is right up our alley. Much more interesting than his chore list.

[Melissa B]

We would not consider those sorts of things "chores." We use index cards for chores. Here are the ones my kids are responsible for:

 

Wash dishes (we do not have a dishwasher)

Dry dishes

Fix Lunch (for everyone)

Trash (we do not have trash pick up, so it has to be bagged and driven to the dump - with my husband - twice per week)

Mop the kitchen (every other day)

Clean the bathroom sink and toilet

Clean the tub (twice a week)

Mop the bathroom floor (twice a week)

Vacuum the house

Pick up and mop the porch (weekly)

Bathe the toddlers

Laundry (Wash, dry, fold and deliver a load)

Washing sheets (weekly)

ETC.