Chore Chart that worked! :)

After over 13 years of parenthood, and lots of attempts, we finally succeeded in finding the method that works best for our family when it comes to house cleaning and motivation! :)

I found an idea in an old parenting magazine to pay your kids in pebbles for jobs that need done around the house.

 I liked it, and so last summer I stopped at the Dollar Store to find them each a "jar" to keep them in. I could find nothing that I liked, until I gave up the idea of glass (which really? as a mom of 4 children... why was I considering getting glass containers again? I digress). I wandered into their craft section, and found some little wooden boxes with hinged lids. I think they are supposed to be jewelery boxes?

Anyway... there have been perfect!

 Our "treasure boxes" are working wonders!

I pulled out the toll paint, and scrapbook stickers, and let the kids personalize away!

Didn't they turn out cute??

They stack perfectly to limit counter space needed, and the little lids have a small magnet to hold them closed better.

Taped to the inside of one of our kitchen cupboards we keep the wheel and the pay scale.

The wheel tells the kids which room they are responsible for that week. To take care of their room, they need to keep it picked up each night, it needs dusted really well, and the floors done. They are also liable if no one does some of the extra jobs, earning pebbles, in their room...and must complete them on Saturday.  

 I picked up 3 different sizes of "fish rocks" at the Dollar Store that same day and put them in cute glass jars (*grin*)... Large, medium and small. Each job is valued accordingly.

For example, washing all the door knobs and light switches in the house earns you S3 - which is 3 small pebbles. Taking out the trash (when full of course! yes... we had to specify LOL) earns you M1 - or 1 medium. Etc...

And there is no nagging allowed.

I can say to "anyone in particular" that a certain job needs done, and the first one to take it on, earns the pebbles.

We have had a couple of lessons about how we are a family, we all live here, and there is much that needs done to keep our family functioning efficiently, and they are needed. We have said they may (or may not) earn some bonus pebbles if they just notice that something needs done and does it without Dad or Mom mentioning it (handled at parent's discretion).

It has worked wonders! I cannot believe it!

There is a couple of ways you may loose pebbles, but they are reserved for only actions related to doing chores. If you steal someone else's pebbles, or from the jar, you loose all your pebbles.

If you lie about doing a job you loose 5 pebbles, etc.

I was worried about adding something negative to something so positive, but it has really worked for us, because it has made them think before they whine that someone beat them to a certain job. More than once, my kids plotted and split the offered pebbles by working together! LOL

And the reward for filling your "treasure box" full??

For every time you fill your little box, you can choose between $5 or a short "date" with Dad or Mom. We have made library runs, Sonic drinks runs, and handed over cold hard cash just in time for a birthday party gift or movie trip. During the summer, 1 small bucket of weeds pulled earned you 2 medium pebbles, so you could earn $5 in a day if you need to (especially with our yard! LOL) ... :) and they like it!

We don't pay them allowance, except for this, unless there is a special job that needs done. They can earn as much or as little as they want, as long as they keep their "assigned room" maintained, and their bedroom maintained too. We felt like they still needed some basic cleaning jobs required of them without "pay" simply because they live here too. And we sat down as a family and let the kids choose the "worth" of these Pebble Jobs, so they are completely happy with the "pay" offered.

I have been amazed at how this positive "money" system has worked!!

My kids LOVE it... and it comes and goes in popularity depending on the day/week. And that's ok. We didn't do it at all in Dec/Jan (for obvious reasons), but they are jumping right back in as spring is in the air again.

I think I may add the opportunity to earn longer TV/Video game time this summer, with pebbles they have already earned, but a part of me wants to keep it simple and fun... and not co-mingle the two.

We shall see.

Anywho... I thought I would share... in case anyone one else's families are looking for a new idea to try. Every family is different, and I am thankful for the idea that I could modify to fit our family. 

 *GRIN*