Whenever I run across a good idea, I like to share them. Mostly because it RARELY happens and because I like to hear other people's ideas. A few months ago I came across a "Great Idea" in my Family Fun magazine (aka my other bible.) So I tweeked it to make it work for us.
Below is a photo of my kids and their CHORE BOARD. On one side is the "to do" section and on the other is the "done" section. The idea is that they each have to complete their jobs for the morning - each job is a clip art photo with a velcro circle: make bed, get dressed, pick up room, brush teeth and read a book (or homework). When they compelet the chore, they move the picture to the done side. The other picture is the "Chore jar" - another ingenious idea thanks to Family Fun. The chore jar is filled with strips of paper that lists chores. The fun thing is that not every chore is work! Here are some of our chores: sing and dance to the hokey pokey, shake the rugs, clean the bathroom sink, run around the table three times, act like a monkey for 3 seconds...
THEY LOVE IT! No, seriously. Jake "gets" to pick 5 chores, Juliana 3. Sometimes they get off scott free - other times they have to work! They love the suspense, and I love the enthusasim. We have been doing the chore jar now for about a year - and it works for us!
The incentive? Money means NOTHING to my children. But a trip to Chucky Cheese does! For each day they complete ALL of their jobs, they get a token for Chucky Cheese. When we go there, they can spend all of their earned tokens, but I DO NOT give them any more. So - the more jobs they do, the more rides/games they get to play! We end up going about every 2 months.
So there you have it - it isn't fancy and it isn't complicated, but it works. In fact, we are going to Chucky Cheese next Tuesday - better get your jobs done!
Below is a photo of my kids and their CHORE BOARD. On one side is the "to do" section and on the other is the "done" section. The idea is that they each have to complete their jobs for the morning - each job is a clip art photo with a velcro circle: make bed, get dressed, pick up room, brush teeth and read a book (or homework). When they compelet the chore, they move the picture to the done side. The other picture is the "Chore jar" - another ingenious idea thanks to Family Fun. The chore jar is filled with strips of paper that lists chores. The fun thing is that not every chore is work! Here are some of our chores: sing and dance to the hokey pokey, shake the rugs, clean the bathroom sink, run around the table three times, act like a monkey for 3 seconds...
THEY LOVE IT! No, seriously. Jake "gets" to pick 5 chores, Juliana 3. Sometimes they get off scott free - other times they have to work! They love the suspense, and I love the enthusasim. We have been doing the chore jar now for about a year - and it works for us!
The incentive? Money means NOTHING to my children. But a trip to Chucky Cheese does! For each day they complete ALL of their jobs, they get a token for Chucky Cheese. When we go there, they can spend all of their earned tokens, but I DO NOT give them any more. So - the more jobs they do, the more rides/games they get to play! We end up going about every 2 months.
So there you have it - it isn't fancy and it isn't complicated, but it works. In fact, we are going to Chucky Cheese next Tuesday - better get your jobs done!
7 comments:
Wow! what a great idea. I may have to steal it from you. I feel like I clean and then 5 minutes later it's messy again. Plus I have a hard time gettin Landon to help out. Emma is a pretty good helper. Good idea!
Great ideas! I am definitely going to do these when Ashlyn gets a little older.
Those ideas are great! We used to have a chore chart and then it kinda died out. I have been thinking about implementing a new one and this is PERFECT! I will have to come up with a different reward system though since the closest Chucky Cheese is 3 hours away!!
I do the same thing for Daren at our apartment. He isn't doing his work what should I do?
Well Craig, I would suspend all privileges: move him to bottom bunk, take away his MAC, screen all his text messages, etc. If that doesn't work, beat him a-top the head with a rolling pin. If that still doesn't work - get a new roomie. He doesn't change his socks anyway.
Brilliant! I've just been putting toys that don't get put away in "toy jail." Maybe a more positive incentive would work better. Chuck E. Cheese's though? I'm not sure I'm ready to open that can of worms quite yet. What a good mom you are!
That is a Great idea! We tried a job chart awhile ago but like Ruth, it died out. I think I'll give yours a try. Got any tips for having your kids mind you? I'm desperate.
Post a Comment