In this busy world of jobs, school and extra-curricular activities, it is almost impossible to efficiently run a household unless everyone in the family pitches in. Each family member must be responsible for certain areas to provide a clean and orderly living space that benefits everyone. The challenge is to keep children on task. By creating a chore list, you can allocate the chores to your children and hold them responsible for completing them in a timely manner.
Step 1
List all the chores that need to be done around your house. This list does not need to be compiled in one sitting. Take some time and write down the chores as you do them.
Step 2
Set the minimum age required for each chore. An older child will need to do some chores, like vacuuming. Younger children might be able to do others, like loading the dishwasher. Determine what skill levels your children have to match them with appropriate activities.
Step 3
Purchase a white dry erase board. Draw a five-by-seven grid to represent the month. Label the days of the week and the dates. Write out the chores that need to be done, by whom and when.
Step 4
Call a family meeting and explain to your children the jobs they will be doing. Let them know they are responsible for completing these chores by a certain date. One effective system is to have them complete the chore and get your approval. Once you approve the work, erase that particular chore from the calendar.
Step 5
Watch your child perform his tasks for a few weeks and give him help where he is falling short. Part of this exercise is to teach your child the necessary skills to manage his life.
Tips and Warnings
- As you go through the chore list, give some serious thought to the appropriate ages for some of the chores. If the chore is too difficult for your oldest child, this chore will naturally fall to you. Consider providing you children an allowance. This helps teach them how to earn money for a job well done.
- If your child refuses to do the chore, you might have to set up some sort of punishment. For example, the more chores your child doesn't do, the more privileges you take away. Perhaps you take away the cell phone after a few weeks of not vacuuming or unhook the video game system if the bathroom is not clean. Match the punishment to the severity of the infraction.
Things You'll Need
- Pen
- Paper
- White dry erase board
