How to get your children to do their chores

by Rebecca Lomis-Stephan

Ok, so we know that children really do not like to work. How many times do you struggle in a day to make sure your child is learning responsibility? Well, it does not have to be as hard as it seems. I have come up with a method that works for ages 2 to 18.

This is a point system (I am sure others have come up with it) and here is how it works.

First you create a calendar of chores and add the days of the week and separate it by children as seen below.

Give each child a choice between 2-3 things they can do and add the point value to each one.

Example:

Kitchen 5 points

Dishes 2 points

Garbage  (whole house) 3 points

Do this every day of the week Monday-Saturday. I have Saturdays our “Big cleaning day” so they get 12 points for cleaning for 3 hours.

I also give them points on Sunday: 5 points for going to Church and 5 for good behavior.

I give them points Monday -Saturday for Homework, good behavior and Tests or quizzes graded and shown to me A’s-C’s.

Here is the trick. Each child must have the following depending on age. Younger ones need fewer points then the older children.

Example:

Daily they must have 13 points to watch TV, play DS, talk on the phone, etc.

Weekly they must have 60 points to sleep over at a friends houses, go to a Bday party, go to the park etc.

Monthly they must have 240 points to go do something like to the movies with friends or buy something like a game or a new outfit or money.

With this I have a calendar for each child on a clipboard with the points and chores. They can fill in their own calendar or I do with upcoming events to work for. see below

 

 

Remember the most important part: YOU always use pencil to write things in and tally their points for each day. Why? Because there are points to be removed for bad behavior, talking back, hitting, lying, D’s and F’s on tests etc.

This works like a charm! If you have any questions feel free to comment.

Good Luck!

Rebecca