Chores
Well Trained Kids!
Our family chore chart is described and demonstrated on the DVD. Feel free to print our chore chart or use it as a template to give you an idea of what a real working system can look like. As I explain in the DVD, we rotate jobs in our house on the first and sixteenth days of each month. This gives each child 2 weeks on certain jobs and allows all the kids the opportunity to learn all the different jobs to keep a home running smoothly.
Our kids initials are in the boxes so that I can quickly glance and know who is on what job for that week.
Optional Chore Systems
The goal of The Ready, Set…Clean! DVD is to empower parents to train and coach their kids to work as a team and get their chore routines running smoothly. It all starts with TRAINING! Once you have watched the DVD, let the chores begin. Below are some great options to help you implement a game plan that works for your family!
Accountable Kids is a perfect match to accompany the concepts that are taught on my DVD. This system is great if you want to keep things simple. It is ideal for pre-school to teens for chore accountability and tracking. Accountable Kids will get the family motivated to put into action what they learned on my DVD.
Pros: Excellent accountability and very similar to what I teach in my program, Simple, tangible, flexibile: easy to add and change jobs as needed, online “how to” video, Facebook support page, free on-line printables.
Cons: Not free, need to find a place to hang the wooden boards, not ideal for teens.
If you like online tracking, then My Job Chart is a good option.
Pros: Free, easy online tracking, motivating to kids by tracking points for allowance, videos to teach how to use the site.
Cons: If you do not want to pay allowance this site is not for you. Also, if you rotate chores each month, as we do, it is difficult to change the chores on the calendar each month. I found it to be tedious each month.
Side note about allowance:
I personally have never paid an allowance to our kids for chores. I wanted them to learn that chores are a basic life skill and responsibility that is just part of “living” in a family. When I started them on My Job Chart last year, they actually got upset with me for wanting to pay them an allowance now that they are teens. Can you believe it? They actually refused to let me pay them! My seventeen year old daughter said “MOM! We should not get paid for cleaning and keeping up with household duties. That is just part of life!”
However, I encourage you to come to a conclusion of what you think is best for your family. I think that chores can be a great opportunity to teach kids the value of being paid for work. In addition you can teach them how to budget and save the money they earn. If you want to pay allowance, My Job Chart has a really neat tracking system for that.
Brushing Teeth Chore Chart
If you need a specific chart to help your kids remember to brush their teeth, click here for an “easy to use” printable chart. I also have a widget for this chart on my blog here
Cleaning with Kids Action Chart
To better understand this chart please watch the DVD Ready, Set….CLEAN!
The DVD explains how we use this particular chore rotation, but any chore system above will work with the Ready Set Clean DVD. Originally created in Microsoft Excel, this template is a example of a good place to start. The initials are each of my kids. The jobs are expected to be done everyday. Saturday jobs are to be completed before any leisurely activities. Sometimes we move the Saturday chores to another day if company is visiting or if Saturday is going to be a full day. Make a system that will work for you.
Spend the time to make your own Action Chart or purchase Accountable Kids. It will help with speed cleaning and everyone will know what is expected of them.
Ages for Introducing and Mastering Skills
- Pick up toys
- Make beds
- Fold washcloths & dishtowels
- Take laundry to laundry room
- Help feed pets
- Help wipe up spills
- Sweep with mini broom
- Wipe baseboards with damp cloth
*If you child is not ready to master a skill, try again in a few months. This is a basic guide that you can use to build upon. This list is not exhaustive, but is a good place to start.
- Dust
- Set & clear table
- Sort laundry by colors
- Help load dishwasher
- Water plants
- Help carry & put away groceries
- Put away own clothes
- Take care of pets
- Fold & put away laundry
- Vacuum & Mop
- Change & take out trash
- Clean inside of car
- Clean a sink and mirror in bathroom
- Strip and change bedding
- Load dishwasher
- Operate washer & dryer
- Prepare simple meals
- Clean bathroom completely
- Wash car inside & out
- Yard work
- Prepare full meals
- Wash windows
- Clean inside of refrigerator
- Prepare grocery lists
- Replace light bulbs and vacuum bags