Do you allow your kids to skip chore duty during the summer months?
That was the topic du jour at a recent “Playdate at the Playground” event I attended with a bunch of other moms I hang out with on a regular basis.
Once school let out for the year, slowly structure and routine slid into oblivion. Now, my mom pals say they can’t get their kids motivated to complete the simplest household tasks.
Fortunately, my kid is still on track.
Of course, she is just six years old and follows her chore chart religiously.
I am a huge advocate of the chore chart. It has proven to be extremely effective in our home by severely reducing my nagging while teaching my daughter responsibility at a young age.
Of course, to make a chart work, the chores need to be age appropriate, as does the chart itself. After all, if your 4-year-old can’t read, then there’s no point in writing down: “Brush teeth” on the chart. Rather, charts for younger kids should feature pictures that illustrate what is being asked of him, such as picking up toys, feeding pets, making (or attempting to make) beds.
As kids get older, they can take on more responsibilities, such as emptying the trash, dusting, putting away laundry and setting the table. In formulating a chore chart for older kids, write down their names either horizontally or vertically, then list their assigned household tasks perpendicularly. You can extend the chart as wide or high as it needs to be to accommodate the number of chores and children. If you have multiple children, consider assigning each kid a color. Write his name in a specific color, and his chores in the same color.
Do you use a chore chart in your home? How well does it work?
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