Chore Cards

Today I was reading another blog about chores. This woman's idea was brilliant I think, so I will be trying it out with our kids. Typically we have diveyed (sp?) out chores and the kids do those indefinitely...because they don't do them regularly (wink). It sure gets old asking the same kid the same question day after day after day..."Did you do your chores? ALL of them including the pets???" The kids know chores are expected to be done after they get dressed and eat, yet every single day they wait until we tell them to go do them. We use Doorposts' Charts (the "If/Then Chart", the "Blessing Chart", the "Brother Offended Check-list" - which is brilliant! and the "Go to the Ant Chart") and on the ant chart there is a verse about waiting to do something until you're asked instead of taking the initiative to do it on your own. The verse is Galatians 6:10: "Let us therefore, as we have the opportunity, to do good to all people..." That will be our family verse for a while I believe (smile).

SO we will be implementing this new plan: Chore Cards

• I will type up index- sized cards with chores on them: a chore will either be a daily chore or a M/W/F or T/Th/Sat chore to be done for an entire week.
• Each Chore Card will have a detailed list of what needs to be done for that chore (no more "I didn't know I was supposed to do THAT")
• Every Sunday the children will have "Chore Draw" at which time they will choose a total of 6 chores for their "Weekly Chore Hand".
• Once the cards have been chosen, the kids are free to trade their cards for 5 minutes but after those 5 minutes, those cards in their "hand" will be their responsibility until we choose new cards the following Sunday.
• I still have the authority assign chore cards to them, to dis-allow a proposed trade or trump a trade by re-assigning it to a capable sibling (for those chores that the younger ones are not quite ready to take on).
• If the kids aren't up on time for school or are running in "slow-motion", they will receive whatever chores I give them.
• We will have our Chore Hour from 8-9 a.m. Whatever does not get done in that time will need to be completed in the Make-Up Hour (3-4 p.m.) Hopefully our kids will want to do things in a timely manner so that they have a lot more free time!
• IF a chore does not get done, that child will have to repeat the chore the following week without the possiblity of trade. I feeling some may have to repeat chores until they learn it's best to do what is expected.
• I will also reserve the right to take a chore from a child who is diligent and give that chore to the slacker in addition to the hand he/she already has.
• Before moving onto their school work, they will need to turn in their cards for "inspection". Cards that cannot be returned to the Chore Box will be expected to be completed during the Make-Up Hour.
• All cards will need to be returned to the box before they are allowed free time.

Hopefully this works...it sounds good on "paper".