Chores

Chores.

Jobs.

Indentured Servitude Obligations.

Slavery Task's.

I have four smallish children ages 2, 4, 6, and 8. How do I teach them to work?

When I was growing up we had one of those famous "job wheels." The ones' where you each had your name on the outside circle, then the inside, smaller circle was filled with different jobs that could spin around. So once a week, my Mom turned the wheel and the jobs that landed under my name were the jobs I had to complete that day. Basic stuff, vacuuming, dusting, cleaning bathrooms, etc.

I have heard of the "sticker charts." Where each child has a list of age appropraite jobs to complete and gets a sticker for each job completed.

I have never made any sort of "chart." I don't know why, they just never spoke to me. My kid chore motivation usually revolved around me telling my kids several thousand times to go do this or that. Bribary was often used. Threats were threatened regularly. My 8 year old daughter can do most things pretty well. My 6 year old son can do some things pretty well. Other's not so much. (I.E. Bathroom cleaning, not too thorough.) My 4 year old daughter is in about the same boat as my 6 year old son. My 2 year old son's main job is to be cute. And he does that extremely well.

About two months ago, I decided to try something. I wrote some different jobs down on slips of paper and had my kids draw them out of a bowl. It was something about not knowing what they were going to get and the fact that when they were done, they got to pick again. The element of suprise was fun for them, as was not always having to do the same job. They loved it! After a few weeks, I added more jobs. More nit-picky jobs (wiping the fridge, microwave, front door; washing the wall down the stairway, and so on.) Then I started paying small amounts of money for each job completed well. Then I decided to type them up with a money amount next to each chore. And while I was doing that I thought of some more nit-picky jobs for them to do (wiping the window seals, washing the chairs and barstools, etc.) As of right now I have around 20 jobs, each with a money amount. Here is the finished result.

They frst get to reach in and pick a job. Then once it's completed to my standards, they get to reach in the other jar and get their money. It's not a lot of money, most jobs are worth $.25 and some are worth $.50. But it's not bad, them having money. One of the first things Braxton bought was a wallet. Smart kid.

The best part as of right now is that only Micah can read. So if Morgan pulls out "clean the kids bathroom," I just tell her is says to empty the laundry hampers, or wash the windows. Something she can do. Then after she scampers off to do it, I dig through and find what I sent her to do and put the harder chore back in the jar. (Micah hasn't quite figured our how come she almost always ends up cleaning bathrooms, but that's okay. She actually does a pretty decent job. And the kids bathroom is worth 50 cents instead of the usual 25 cents, so that helps.)

This is what is currently working at our house but I am still open to suggestion. Does anyone ou there have something that works for their family? I would love to hear what it is.