Getting Kids to Help With Chores

Use a Job Jar for Chores

As a working parent of 6 kids (the oldest 4 are in a 5 1/2 year age span), the kids helping with chores was a given. Our system was the job jar. All household chores were written down and put into a job jar. Pink paper for the under 6 set, and yellow paper for those school age and above.

Every Friday, we all sat down and everyone, including parents, drew their jobs for the following week. We had a chart hanging on the wall that had everyone's name, their jobs for the week, and a space for Mom (or Mamaw) to sign off when the job was done satisfactorily (without more than one reminder) and finished each day of the week.

On Saturday, anyone that had their assigned chores done at least 6 out of the 7 days, participated in a "treat day". We took turns choosing the treat for the week, from a list provided by Mom (depended on time and money available). The treat might be a picnic, a trip to the pool, a movie, a trip to the zoo, or a Baskin Robbins ice cream treat, etc. Anyone not completing their assigned chores was left at home with grandmother, with no TV or phone privileges for the weekend.

In the early days of course, a 6 year old assigned to cook supper needed a lot of help from Mom or Grandmother. By the time they were 10-12 years old, they (boys and girls) could all plan a menu. They could make a edible, balanced meal for the family, fix lunches for school, vacuum, mop, etc.

From 9th grade on, they were also involved in budgeting, balancing the checkbook, writing the checks for monthly bills, seeing that they were mailed, making the grocery list, and shopping for groceries.

We do not give our kids enough credit. Even a 2 year old can empty a waste paper basket or pick up toys, and put them away. It is not just a case of helping out Mom. Everyone lives there, eats the food, and wears clothing. Everyone needs to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for their home.

When we don't teach our kids to clean their homes, wash their clothes, cook a decent meal, manage their time, manage their money, and accept their responsibilities, we do them a grave disservice because someday they are going to have their own homes and families to manage. You can't teach those things by starting the week before they leave for college.

By slee15

Chore Incentives for Kids and Adults

Here is a tip to help organize time, reward labor, and ensure you get to work on that project that's been sitting in the corner.

Take a sheet of paper. With a pencil, write on one side all the chores that the person doesn't like to do/needs to do. On the other side, write a corresponding reward (15 minutes of beading, 5 minutes dance, 1 hour sewing, etc). When a chore is completed, write down the rewards earned. I write mine on the dry erase board. To personalize, I reward myself with a bigger reward for tasks I really dislike, and make extra incentives for stuff I'm working on.

For example: I don't like doing the kitchen, so completing that task will earn me an hour to sew. I'm working on getting outside more, so I came up with a separate reward for going outside, walking a mile, and running errands. I also reward myself for each chore, so that I'm not stressed out to clean the whole house in a day.

This helps in being a good daily incentive (take it from a homemaker) and not rewarding yourself/child's labor with "more labor" (a stressful habit). It's a nice stress reliever to "earn" time to get to those things you always like to do, even if they could technically be called "labor" as well (enjoyment/fun makes a big difference!)

Enjoy your day!

By Davidicdancer from Spokane, WA

Pick a Chore

Take a bin with their left out stuff in it and add a print out that says this:

UH OH
You left it out
Mom picked it up
She's got your stuff
You're out of luck
To get it back
Must do a chore
Again it is yours
Just like before On the side have a envelope with slips of paper for the chore that needs to be done.

Source:saw it on Facebook

By msprissysmom from USA

Tickets for Chores

When my kids (and fosters) were young, I bought a roll of tickets (like those at a carnival). They are available at places like WalMart. I made lists of chores, age appropriate for each child. Each chore was assessed as to how many tickets it was worth. (I also included personal hygiene things like brushing teeth, etc.). Some of the chores were really simple, hanging up your towel or putting clothes away.

I watched clearance racks for prizes, such as: toys, stuffed animals, fancy pencils, new notebooks, art supplies, and so on. Other prizes; might be things like: 1-1 time with mom for an evening or choice of video for family night. Each prize was assessed an amount of tickets. Then as the kids accumulated tickets, they could "buy" their prizes. Some kids couldn't wait to spend their tickets, and would buy the trinket prizes, but soon realized that by saving them, they could get better prizes.

So, chores got done, and the kids learned the lessons of earning and saving. This tends to work best with younger kids, from little to maybe age 10 or so.

Source: I was a foster parent for 15 years and had to be creative to teach kids responsibility and accountability. This made it fun!

By Pam T from Storm Lake, IA

Getting Kids to Help with Chores

I know people with multiple kids. Some of them don't think chores are for kids. One says it's all women's work (hehe), and getting them to help out is a chore in itself!

I suggested once that a job wheel be made. Each day, the kids spin the wheel, and the chore it lands on is what is on their to do list for that day. Perhaps someone hates dishes, and another hates sweeping. This means that their chances of getting the jobs they don't like that day are slimmer than if they had them assigned.

If you don't want to build a spinning board or use an old game board, just put the chores on a piece of paper, and draw them out of a hat! Either way, you can't come out the bad guy because it's the luck of the spin or the luck of the draw!

Source: Heard this once on a talk show years ago. In theory, it sounds foolproof!

By Sandi A. from Salem, OR

System For Kids To Choose Chores

This is a great way to organize your kids to do chores.

Write out about 10 (or more) different chores, one on each small slip of paper. Fold each slip of paper up real small and place in a decorated tin or jar. When it is time for chores, let your child choose 4 slips of paper from the tin and choose 3 out of the four chores to do. The rejected chore gets placed back into the jar for next time.

Keep adding to the collection as you think of chores that need to be done. This adds interest and some choice for the child. You can add to the incentive by having a second jar/tin with treats written on little pieces of paper. Choose 2 put one back. (Treats only to be given after chores are done) Treats could be fun activities, something yummy, or a small surprise toy.

Now it is fun as the child chooses 3 chores and 1 treat as a small incentive.

By Cheryl from Sydney, Australia