Moxie Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 I've given up on the idea of a *perfect* chore system. Now I'm just looking for one that mostly works. I want something that is visual, that ties together chores and some sort of reward (cash, tv time, IDK) and I don't do well with charts that have to be reprinted every week. What does the Hive think of this system http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2011/01/chore-chart-cards.html . It looks like a bit of work to set up and I wonder if the little tickets would grow legs and walk away?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soufflegirl Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 That's way too many cards and tickets for me to keep track of. In my house, the whole thing would grow legs and walk, and I'd be finding crumpled papers underneath every piece of furniture for months. I've seen ones on Pinterest that used magnets and whiteboards - that at least seemed a bit sturdier. If I'm remembering correctly, the chores were on the magnets and you moved them to whichever person was doing them that day. As they were completed you could take them off the board or move them to the "done" section, depending on how you had it set up. It would be easy enough to add a rewards section, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 I've seen those. There is no way my kids would leave the magnets on the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 I just started trying out my job chartwith my kids. Its an online free system and my kids can login to their account and see their tasks for the day. They have collected lots of points but I have not setup the rewards portion yet so they have nothing to claim. My kids like checklist though. ETA: I setup the reward system, it was easy to setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soufflegirl Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 I've seen popsicle sticks in jars as well, which may or may not be more entertaining than magnets. :) Less work to replace, at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 What about Choreganizers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 We used P.E.G.S. from Family Tools. I bought it because it included components for attitude, behavior and communication. None of the pieces walked away. :) It was useful, but after a few years we stopped using it. It had a good run though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 I like more a lifestyle-type solution to chores. We do "morning routine" (that includes some basic 'leave your spaces tidy' sorts of chores) followed by "A Chore" daily. This can be anything from emptying the dishwasher to tidying the 'hair pretties' -- sometimes I assign, sometimes I am open to suggestions or negotiation. After chore time we all have a reward (often candy, usually nerds) proportional to the intensity of the work on that particular day. I have also been known to lay out a bowl with a few nerds or a quarter in it near a chore that I would like done. The child who does it takes the reward (they are familiar enough to 'read' what is meant by the placement of the little bowl). The only other time they "do chores" is as I make supper -- they are entitled to "free screen time" if all their stuff/areas are tidy and the table is set for supper -- so they tend to tidy all their areas at that time of day. (Oh, and other 'screen times' during the day require all their areas/stuff to be reasonably tidy too.) And we clear/wipe the table after each meal/snack. Usually when they are working, I am working too, so it just seems like 'this is the time of day for chore work'. We help each other, and I don't let them 'sink or swim' with independent chores, and they don't like to work lonely. I try to make them satisfyingly successful kinds of work, with tangible results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 I like more a lifestyle-type solution to chores. We do "morning routine" (that includes some basic 'leave your spaces tidy' sorts of chores) followed by "A Chore" daily. This can be anything from emptying the dishwasher to tidying the 'hair pretties' -- sometimes I assign, sometimes I am open to suggestions or negotiation. After chore time we all have a reward (often candy, usually nerds) proportional to the intensity of the work on that particular day. I have also been known to lay out a bowl with a few nerds or a quarter in it near a chore that I would like done. The child who does it takes the reward (they are familiar enough to 'read' what is meant by the placement of the little bowl). The only other time they "do chores" is as I make supper -- they are entitled to "free screen time" if all their stuff/areas are tidy and the table is set for supper -- so they tend to tidy all their areas at that time of day. (Oh, and other 'screen times' during the day require all their areas/stuff to be reasonably tidy too.) And we clear/wipe the table after each meal/snack. Usually when they are working, I am working too, so it just seems like 'this is the time of day for chore work'. We help each other, and I don't let them 'sink or swim' with independent chores, and they don't like to work lonely. I try to make them satisfyingly successful kinds of work, with tangible results. I need a visual. If the dishwasher is full, I need something that tells me who needs to unload it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 In my system it's "whoever sees the reward and wants it" -- sometimes two work and split the reward. Sometimes nobody wants to do it. If they've done their one manditor chore at chore time, I don't insist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIE! Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Charts that require changing get neglected over here. What I finally got to work for us was this: each kid has a jar with their name on it, and we've got a tin full of marbles. There is one list of possible chores and their marble amount (ex. Empty trash = 1 marble, sweep a room=2 marbles.) I can also ask them to do things not on the list for whatever think it's worth. The routine goes like this: Each morning kids are expected to make beds, get dressed, put their breakfast dishes away, etc. This is just routine, they don't get marbles for this, but you could If you want. Each night they have one chore they're in charge of. These change about once a year so they get really good at them and I don't have to keep track of whose turn it is. Dd 8 does the dishes and gets 7 marbles nightly for it. Ds 6 wipes down the sink and the toilet in the bathroom for 5 marbles. Ds 4 picks up shoes, books, and baby toys from the front room and gets 3 marbles. During this time I sweep and dh takes care of the kitty litter and empties the trash if a kid hasn't beat him to it.. If they want extra marbles they can do any extra chores they want to whenever they want. A full jar gets them $10. This takes some routine establishing, but zero upkeep on a chore chart. The kids like money, so they often do extra chores (especially ds6). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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