CHORE CHART SYSTEM FOR KIDS

With all the challenges that my husband and I have been facing we have been having some difficulty getting everything done. My husband had the idea of paying the grandkids for chores. I thought it was brilliant. 

With all my pinning on Pinterest I had the exact chore chart in mind. I was going to laminate pictures so my youngest grandson would have a visual for each chore. It was a metal one that utilized magnets. It was so very cute. However, two dollar stores later, I had to improvise.  They had nothing I needed. I was so disappointed. 

I settled for a quick improvised system  using what I could find. I grabbed some raffle tickets and four little tubs to use as banks. I bought letter stickers to label  the tubs and used a Mason jar I had at home. 

I labeled the Mason jar with "Chore Tickets" and the tubs with each boy's name. Each ticket had the chore and price earned on the back. The boys were instructed to put each completed chore ticket in their bank. Very low tech!   I had to make do with what I had.  I was not impressed.

The funny thing is the boys loved it! They love pulling the tickets out of the jar and the element of surprise. They are not allowed to dig for higher priced chores, what you pull out is what you get. Some of the chores they were not fond of, but persevered. They even had the idea I should put a couple tickets in for "do a free chore." I recycle the tickets back onto the Mason Jar the next day.  If they happen to pull a chore that does not need to be done, then they try their luck again.

Many times it is easy to forget how capable the children are. My four year old grandson is folding laundry, not just towels. By allowing children to do chores they are learning many lessons: 

• To do the job right in order to get paid 
  
• It is fun to work together
  
• They are competent 
• How to follow directions
• The value of money and planning
• Their participation is valuable and needed in the family
• How to finish jobs that they don't like

For me this was a great reminder that it is not about being elaborate.  I struggle at times making things "bigger" and forget that simple is good.  We just need a "good enough" system, not a perfect one. It is really about instilling those values that we want the kids to have.  

I think I have enjoyed the system just as much, if not more than the kids.  It is pretty rewarding seeing how proud the boys are of themselves for a job well done.