In keeping with my loosely scheduled summer planning, I have decided to implement chore charts for the kids. I’ve actually been meaning to do this for a long time, but haven’t gotten past printing out blank charts, which I subsequently misplaced. (If you know me personally, this won’t surprise you.)
Since I basically have to start from Square One again, I Googled “chore charts for kids” and came up with a really cool site where you can create or download and print out free chore charts.
It also links to another site called PAYjr Chore and Allowance System, a freebie offered by Visa to help both parents and kids track chores and corresponding allowances. Parents set up chore lists and email reminders are then sent to kids. When the jobs are done, kids log in to the site to check the jobs off. Once parents approve the completed chores, the site tracks the amount owed and paid to kids.
Sounds like a great idea, but I have a question: Can I list some chores as free?
Seriously, I believe kids need to work around the house just because they’re members of the family. Since one of our biggest responsibilities as parents is to shape the little people into responsible, contributing members of society, pitching in has to be part of the process.
I signed the three older kids up on PAYjr and I’ve started to create their chore lists, just to see how it works. It’s pretty slick, except for the lack of customization. The chores are already listed in a dropdown menu and there’s no way that I can see to create your own. That said, there is a fairly comprehensive list, so it’ll probably do the trick for most people.
For those, like me, who would rather just print off a chore chart, here are some links to other sites with free ones:
Chore Charts
DLTK’s Custom Chore Charts
Free Printable Behavior Charts
Alenka’s Printables
Tipz Time
Do you use chore charts and/or pay your kids to do work? Why or why not?
My kids are 4.5 and almost 3 and I don’t give them any money, except a small bit of change when they clean their room. (I need to be more diligent about getting them to clean their room more frequently; but one time my older son actually took it upon himself to clean his room without my knowledge! Lightning hasn’t struck twice, but still….)
I think that children do need to understand the concept of money, and need to learn it as young as possible. One of the chief things they need to learn is what adults know, and that is “if you work, you get paid; if you don’t work, you don’t get paid.” So, unless you want to raise the next welfare king or queen, kids shouldn’t get money just for existing. [Yeah, I know, a lot of children have gotten allowances for a lot of years and most have gone on to be productive citizens, but it gives food for thought!]
I listen to financial counselor and author Dave Ramsey (daveramsey.com), and he strongly recommends this philosophy — he calls it “putting his kids on commission.” Yes, there are chores the children do just because they are members of the family, and if these chores remain undone, then they not only don’t get any money for the “paying chores,” but they get a negative consequence as well. There’s a lot of leeway in a set-up like this, and it depends a lot on the different families, particularly the financial ability of the parent(s) to dole out dollars for jobs. Rich families may be able to give their children a dollar per job per day with practically every chore being a “paying chore”; while families that are not as well-off will not have the disposable income for that, so may have a higher proportion of non-paying chores and/or lower commission for the paying chores.
Since my kids are just happy with coins and don’t yet understand the value of each type of coin, they’re as happy with five pennies as with five quarters, so we get out light.
This summer I’m planning on letting them use some of their money at yard sales to buy little toys, so they can start to understand more of how money works. So far, they have not actually spent any money (it’s all in their piggy banks); and usually I swipe a debit card, so they don’t have much tangible experience with money, except as pretty metal circles that jangle together.
Reading your post made me sigh out of nostalgia and made me love the name of your blog even more. It’s been a long time since I’ve thought about chores (our kids are grown and doing their own chores in their own houses!) but it made me remember the old chore days. How sometimes something like that would work – and then just stop working overnight. You’re so right – being flexible is most important – I think that’s what you’re also saying by “trial and error.”
I’ll look forward to reading updates on how the process is going – and the many directions it takes, perhaps.
Thanks, Meredith! I appreciate you chiming in.
Yes, my blog is definitely focused on the flexibility that MUST be involved in parenting. You’re so right — something might work for awhile and then boom! It doesn’t work anymore for whatever reason.
I’ve been enjoying your blog very much too. It’s great to read what other writers have to say!
Kathy, I’ve read some of Dave Ramsey’s stuff and have been really impressed, so thanks for sharing this particular bit of advice from him. It sounds like a really great way to run the chore/allowance side of family life.
I know what you mean about kids being happy with coins. That’s how my boys are too, although Cody, a kindergartner, is beginning to understand the concept of money much better. I remember as a kid swindling my youngest sister out of money by trading her a bunch of pennies for several quarters (because there were more coins) or a dime for a penny (because the penny is bigger).
Great idea on the yard sales! Sometimes I wish I lived in town so I could take more advantage of those.
My kids are 7 and 3. When it came to chores, I just browsed the net and found some chore charts (my kids liked the designs in the website kidrewardzone). We filled up the chores and columns to mark a star in each chore. There is a minus for each negative behavior, like tantrums, not using dustbins for trash, and so on. They would get bucks for each star minus each negative mark. A trip to the park on Saturday, if BOTH get all the stars (here I don’t count the negatives)for the week. Now, there are no arguments, yelling, and shouting. Its only “YAAAAYYY…”