Tag Archives: chore

Chore chart

Like most moms, I struggle with getting my kids to do the simplest of chores without them complaining or having me to ask them repetitively to do them. I don’t even ask that much of them in a daily basis. I want decent tables manners, toys picked up, teeth brushed and homework done. That isn’t too much to ask.

While I was at Doug and Jacqueline’s house last week, I saw a chore chart that Jacqueline had made for the boys. As I do with many of Jacqueline’s ideas: I copied it. I have tried to have chore charts before but with little success; mostly due to my inability to follow through. This time, I decided, it would be different. I made the chore chart, hung it in a very visible space, created a reward system ( sort of) and went for it. Here it is…..

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Today I knew that faith was getting close to her first reward so she and I went to the Dollar Tree to buy incentives. I spent $25 on junk rewards for the three kids. I think it will be worth it. I am hoping to train them to do the things I want done, and then eventually have them do it for free. We will see if it works. I sure hope so. I am tired of the complaining and pulling of teeth to do the simplest of tasks.

Of the three children, Faith is doing the best and is the most consistent and motivated. I told her that she needed to have three check marks in each category in order to receive a reward. She worked very hard today to complete the requirements. Of course she kept waking me up from my nap on the couch to ask me questions about the chart. I think I may have given in to a few of her requests so that I could sleep. I don’t think I even understood half of the questions, but honestly, who cares! She did it!

Out of the box of toys she chose the small pack of gum as her reward. Probably the best pick to motivate the boys because they both wanted some. She was generous enough to share.

I decided upon the chore chart for two reasons: I wanted to the kids to have better table manners and I wanted Faith to practice her reading each day without complaint. So far, that has worked. I am hoping to get Wilson to practice his handwriting as well. He is my next target, now that Faith is progressing nicely.

I have been doing the chart for only four days now, but I see a significant improvement in their ability. I even created on chore to be “smile and say OK”. That one was for Wilson. I really just need him to agree with me and do whatever it is that I ask. Just smile and say “Ok”. So far, he is doing better. I plan to stick with this chart until I run out of incentives and rewards. By then, I hope that all of these chores and attitudes have become habits. Only time will tell.