The New(est) Chores Plan

Ok, here is my newest creation in the chores area: Chore Cards!

I know, not exactly rocket science, eh?

Basically, my last idea just wasn't working as well as I would have liked. I've heard about MOTH's chore card ideas - most recently from the Duggar's new book - and thought, "hey, I could do that!". And so I did.

It was a bit of prep, but not bad. One day, during nap time, I cut the cards out of colored paper and drew pics of household chores on each one. Then, the next day, I used sharpie markers to re-write the words on the cards and colored in some of the pics - just so the kids could read them easier and to make them more interesting. Then, one last day, I took the kids to church and used their laminating machine to laminate everything.

The basic plan was to have "chore packs" which each child somehow "wore" as they went about the home, working through their given chores. I couldn't figure out how to do that, exactly, without safety pins and blood, so I opted for a basic "pocket" chart in the kitchen instead.

The kids eat breakfast, then come to the kitchen to check out their given chores for that day. (I take a few minutes before heading to bed to assign chores for the next day) The cards always start with basic/hygiene stuff like brush teeth, get dressed, make bed, pick up toys - and the last card is always get jammies on. In addition, there are cards such as: vacuum (wherever Momma tells you to), empty silverware, take out trash, wipe down bathroom, fold towels, etc...

They do one chores, then run to the kitchen ~ they take the completed chore card and transfer it to the "Done" pocket with their name on it. When Momma passes the pocket chart, I praise them up one side and down the other for having started their chores, for having completed a chore so quickly, or without Momma having to ask. I also have an "Extra Chores" pocket to hold the chores not assigned for that day. At first, I was going to give out chores as a "punishment" for bad behavior - but NO WAY!! My kids are very much still in that stage where they *want* chores, they enjoy them, they want to please Momma by working hard and quickly. No way am I going to ruin that by making them a punishment! What was I thinking??

An advantage of this system is I can change up the chores as needed. If I know we won't be doing towels the next day, I don't assign that chore. I don't assign 'set the table' if we won't be eating dinner at home that night. I also can change it up based on their abilities. If Tali needs to practice a new chores, I can work on that particular one for a while - or transfer it to Selah if it appears it's just too complicated for now.

So there ya go ~ fun stuff!