Whistle While We Work

Now that school is out for the summer, I really want to spend some time getting my family into a routine and good habits.  Chores are just one of the many things I would like to see happen on a daily basis around here. 

I researched several blogs, books, and pins on pinterest.  There are so many different ideas and philosophies on chores.  Many think that kids shouldn’t get paid to work around the house; they work out of obligation to the other members of the household.  I get that.  Many others believe that kids should be given an allowance to teach them that hard work does pay off and to teach kids how to handle money.  I get that too.

For that reason, we have adapted a system combining the two philosophies.  William thrives on routine and loves visual stimulation.  Using a pinterest find, I constructed these 2 chore charts out of a file folder.  I wish I could remember where I got this idea to give them credit, but apparently it’s one of the few things that stuck in my mind because I sure did not pin it.  The graphics I found at http://audreyschilaty.com/blog/.  This is what ours looks like.

William is 4, so he has 4 daily chores that he does not get paid for.  He makes his bed, puts his dirty clothes in the basket, puts his dirty dishes in the sink, and picks up his toys before bed.  He also has 4 chores that he will complete once a week.  He will clean his bathroom, sweep the kitchen and living room, sort the laundry, and put away his clean laundry.  These he will earn an allowance for.  More on that to come.

Today was day 1.  He was very excited and after doing all his daily chores, wanted to “play” chores.  Then he was upset because he was all done.  So I had him start one of his weekly chores and he cleaned the bathroom.  Most of the time I was right there directing him – even putting my hands over his and showing him how to do things. 

The day went well I would say.  I know the key to success is consistency and patience.  I will be updating our journey throughout the summer and I will post more on our allowance/money system as well.  Thanks for following our little journey!!