It is evident that work is central to our creator's plan of happiness for us. And if we learn to embrace work and find a way to enjoy it, we will be more successful in this life, and be better prepared for all the blessings and glory that are in store for us. To this end, I have determined to "train up" my children in the "glory of chores." Our children are expected to participate in providing for the welfare of our family by fulfilling their assigned responsibilities. We have tried many methods to accomplish this. Some have worked, others have flopped. This is the method we are using now:
Our Daily Rad-Chore Chart
Our Daily Rad-Chore ChartYou will notice that the days of the week are along the top, the chores are along the left column, and each child has his or her own color of sticky note. (I use sticky notes on the poster board so that they can be changed--and because I recycled the chart from last year and needed to cover up the old assignments.) So the premise is that each day of the week each child has responsibilities to accomplish before privileges can be enjoyed. Besides the responsibilities listed on this chart, each child is responsible to clean his room, finish his kitchen chore, and any "extra chore" assignments that child has earned. And all of these must be done before ANY privileges can be enjoyed. This method has developed out of a need for simplicity. We used to pay for chores and then would have a "treasure box" with needed clothing items or candy or toys in it that they could buy with the money they earned. Now we still have the treasure box, but we only pay them for contracted jobs, such as washing the car or the windows. Their basic responsibilities are just part of contributing to the welfare of the family.
A child "earns an extra chore" if he or she chooses to engage in a "privilege" before all of his or her chores are done, or if he or she dis-obeys Mom, uses inappropriate language, fights with siblings, or any other "out-of-line" reason. When a child earns an extra chore, the sticky note with "extra chore" written on it is put on their color block for that day and it blocks privileges until the assigned chore is done. (This is a great consequence because I can get a lot of work done this way and teach good behavior at the same time!) I have assigned anything from vacuuming the mudroom, to cleaning a toilet, to weeding the garden for 20 minutes as extra chores.
I have also added at least one educational "chore" for each child each day of the week. I just wrote them on those colored sticky notes. For example, one day Brigham reads with Rachel and another day Amber reads to/with Isaac. Lisa is teaching "Reading Horizons" to Rachel and on Fridays, Amber and I do a science lesson with all the children. Nothing too serious, but just adding a touch of learning to each day keeps our feet on the ground. We all get to set aside some time to read each day and the kids are earning one penny per page they read.
Our kitchen chores, which are done after each meal, are "dish team," "set/clear team," and "floors and garbage team." We are attempting to build teamwork in our family, which is why we have made teams instead of individual kitchen chores. These chores change weekly and we have them on a wheel that we move one space to the right each Sunday, which means that the teams change weekly. After having tried several methods for chores in the kitchen, we have come to realize that NONE of the methods happen without some whining. It comes with the territory. We have just learned to ignore the whining and show the kids how to enjoy cleaning up dinner--by example. That is a special trick that takes LOTS of practice to master. But it works! In the bible, it is called "Revile Not." Another trick we have had success with is to assign an extra chore if the child chooses to whine. :) (That would put a quick end to whining.)
The most important elements in any training method is consistency and follow-through. That is why when Dad says, "yes, you can watch a show this morning until the other kids wake up," I stand my ground and send Dad to work. We have to get the work done before we get to play. (period!) If we fudge the rules once, we may as well say good-bye to the success of that method.
And so, when my six-year-old calls me an "evil witch," or my 12-year-old yells, "I hate you!" I take it as a compliment, because it means that I am obviously following through on my commitment to teach these kids to work. Trust me, it is NOT an easy road to trod! Someday, I hope they thank me for it. ;)
A special thanks to my Mom, for teaching me to work!!! I love you!
A child "earns an extra chore" if he or she chooses to engage in a "privilege" before all of his or her chores are done, or if he or she dis-obeys Mom, uses inappropriate language, fights with siblings, or any other "out-of-line" reason. When a child earns an extra chore, the sticky note with "extra chore" written on it is put on their color block for that day and it blocks privileges until the assigned chore is done. (This is a great consequence because I can get a lot of work done this way and teach good behavior at the same time!) I have assigned anything from vacuuming the mudroom, to cleaning a toilet, to weeding the garden for 20 minutes as extra chores.
I have also added at least one educational "chore" for each child each day of the week. I just wrote them on those colored sticky notes. For example, one day Brigham reads with Rachel and another day Amber reads to/with Isaac. Lisa is teaching "Reading Horizons" to Rachel and on Fridays, Amber and I do a science lesson with all the children. Nothing too serious, but just adding a touch of learning to each day keeps our feet on the ground. We all get to set aside some time to read each day and the kids are earning one penny per page they read.
Our kitchen chores, which are done after each meal, are "dish team," "set/clear team," and "floors and garbage team." We are attempting to build teamwork in our family, which is why we have made teams instead of individual kitchen chores. These chores change weekly and we have them on a wheel that we move one space to the right each Sunday, which means that the teams change weekly. After having tried several methods for chores in the kitchen, we have come to realize that NONE of the methods happen without some whining. It comes with the territory. We have just learned to ignore the whining and show the kids how to enjoy cleaning up dinner--by example. That is a special trick that takes LOTS of practice to master. But it works! In the bible, it is called "Revile Not." Another trick we have had success with is to assign an extra chore if the child chooses to whine. :) (That would put a quick end to whining.)
The most important elements in any training method is consistency and follow-through. That is why when Dad says, "yes, you can watch a show this morning until the other kids wake up," I stand my ground and send Dad to work. We have to get the work done before we get to play. (period!) If we fudge the rules once, we may as well say good-bye to the success of that method.
And so, when my six-year-old calls me an "evil witch," or my 12-year-old yells, "I hate you!" I take it as a compliment, because it means that I am obviously following through on my commitment to teach these kids to work. Trust me, it is NOT an easy road to trod! Someday, I hope they thank me for it. ;)
A special thanks to my Mom, for teaching me to work!!! I love you!
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