Keeping the inmates at bay...

I've always been a big fan of having my kids do daily chores. You know what they say, idle hands and all and I think there's nothing wrong with teaching your kids to pick up after themselves and to earn things, not just get things. I haven't been the best at keeping them interested in doing chores or finding a method that allows them to learn life skills without the side effects- whining, arguing, fighting- all those things that make the hairs on the back of my neck just curl and that vein in my forehead explode until I give and do the dang chores myself.

This idea uses "tokens", I chose buttons like my blog because I have a bazillion, that they earn for doing their chores. They can then use those tokens to cash in on some extra privileges. I've seen Super Nanny use this sort of method with fake flowers and pots but the button thing really spoke to me. I still love you Super Nanny, I really do.

Here's my spin on it. I kept the kids daily chores the same but added a button value to it like brushing your teeth and hair (or hairy teeth as the case might be) is worth 2 buttons. If they do their chore without being reminded to do it they get an extra white button, I changed the color mostly so I could keep track of how many chores they really do (the colored buttons) compared to extra things (the white buttons). It's the annalist in me and I'm anal that way... it doesn't really matter. Once they have enough buttons they can redeem them for an extra privilege like chocolate milk or an extra treat which costs them x number of buttons. I also incorporated the house rules into the mix. I think they go hand in hand, chores and rules that is. For each rule they break after they have been warned they get a time out and a button or so taken away depending on the offense. Everyone but Kaci has a list of chores. Mary has been doing chores since she turned 3 and you would be surprised how much a 3 year old can do (and will do).

I printed out the rules, the chores, and the redemptions and the different values of each and put them in frames on the wall so the kids could see what I expected of them and what they would get in return clearly laid out in front of them each day. The frames would be much cuter if I could find the gosh darned black paint that Kaci keeps hiding from me, oh and cute little buckets or tins for the buttons would have been cute to, but I digress... That's a big deal for my eldest. If he doesn't get told something over and over again or if it isn't in plain view every 5 minutes it doesn't exist. Also big for Cody and I so we're always on the same page and every things the same whether it comes from mom or dad.

So far it's been working like a charm. Better than that- it's heaven sent. I actually heard Ashlyn and Jeremy say "I want to clean my room" and "What else can I do". My house is cleaner and with the little things out of the way I was able to tackle some big things I haven't had time to get to.

Cookies as an earning prize doesn't hurt either...

Seriously though, go and be merry and make yourself sane with buttons and chores and cute lists and happy helpful children... I'll never be the same!

Pin It