| Have you ever found a free printable chore chart | | | | child knows that he or she must devote a certain |
| and tried to use it? Then you know you need to | | | | amount of time to a task, they will often put |
| do more than print it out and post it on your | | | | more muscle behind their actions. |
| fridge in order for it to work. Here are the easy | | | | C. Coach and Celebrate. |
| ABC's of successful chore chart usage. | | | | -- Train your workers by working alongside them, |
| A. Assign and Affirm. | | | | especially the first few times. Consider this |
| -- Whether you give everyone their own chore | | | | on-the-job training...because it is! Even more |
| chart or use a master chart, personalize your | | | | important, it's family time. Doing chores together |
| chart system to help your team 'own' their jobs. | | | | is a wonderful way to chat with your kids about |
| Add names to your charts and let your kids | | | | what's going on in their lives. You'll get better |
| decorate them. It's just one way to get them | | | | attitudes, too, when they understand they are |
| excited and on board. | | | | part of a team...not just the unpaid help. |
| -- Make sure everyone gets chores that are age | | | | -- Be consistent in your standards. If you let |
| and ability appropriate. Likewise assign more | | | | standards slide because you don't want to |
| challenging tasks as your kids grow up. Running a | | | | provoke an argument, there's no way you can |
| household means there is a never-ending stream | | | | expect a terrific job the night before guests |
| of tasks to get done and your kids will need to | | | | arrive. Stick to your standards from the beginning |
| know how to do all of them when they hit | | | | and you'll find your need to nag will decrease once |
| adulthood. | | | | your trainees know you mean business. |
| -- Appreciate your kids and instill confidence in | | | | -- Do you enjoy being rewarded? So does your |
| them. Praise their efforts even when you feel like | | | | chore chart team. Be creative with your |
| doing the job over again yourself. Explain they will | | | | celebrations. A family game night is a great prize |
| need to practice to learn how to do a job | | | | for a week of well-done chores with little or no |
| efficiently and effectively. | | | | reminding. Another great idea is a favorite meal |
| B. Build expectations. | | | | prepared...as a family. A super prize is a bit of |
| -- Put specifics on your chore chart. "Clean | | | | time off from chores (that will spur real |
| bathroom sink, mirror, toilet and tub" will get | | | | competition among your workers). Who doesn't |
| better results than "clean bathroom". | | | | love a vacation? |
| -- Go a step further than just writing specifics on | | | | Using a chore chart can be a great way to get |
| the chart itself. Train your young workers to | | | | your household organized. But only if you know |
| show them EXACTLY what 'clean' looks like. | | | | the secrets to success. (For more tips and a free |
| Demonstrate your specific standards and how to | | | | printable chore chart, please see the author's |
| achieve them. Be sure and provide the tools | | | | resource box at the end of this article.) If you |
| necessary to get the job done right. Go over any | | | | can be patient in the short term, you will see |
| safety issues carefully. | | | | excellent results in the long term with this simple |
| -- Explain how much time a standard job will take. | | | | tool and easy guidelines that have been |
| If it takes YOU thirty minutes to adequately | | | | successfully used by many, many families for |
| vacuum the house, how can your little novice do | | | | years. |
| the same quality of work in five minutes? When a | | | | |