Teaching chores
Today, due to a certain level of messiness that has become a running theme in our household, I found myself looking up chore charts - I found some cute ones here with lots of themes to fit plenty of interests.
Now I have to decide whether to use them or not. (I also have to consider getting some for myself, ahem, hi there untamed mountain of laundry.)
We’ve always sort of kept it loose. There are certain things the kids can do - the oldest can clear plates, the youngest can set cutlery (except knives) and condiments on the table, that sort of thing - and we just sort of ask them to do it. But I’ve noticed that despite asking them regularly, it doesn’t occur to them to do any of their chores without being asked.
I’m thinking a chore chart might help, especially for my oldest who can read. I’ll have to design one for my youngest using pictures instead since she’s pretty far away from learning to read at her age.
(Photo - sxc.hu)
Do you use organized chore charts or just wing it? Have you tried both ways? I’d love to hear your pros and cons!
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POSTED IN: Family, Keeping House
2 opinions for Teaching chores
Heather Lessiter
Aug 7, 2008 at 6:13 am
We have a routine list that includes getting dressed, brushing teeth, etc. as well as chores. They’ll learn that keeping up the house is just part of life and not just work. I encourage you to put the words under the pictures on the youngest’s chart to help her associate the word with the picture.
Carol B
Aug 7, 2008 at 10:59 am
I used 2 methods both for myself and my oldest daughter.
I have 2 chore charts, one for daily chores and one for monthly.
On our refridgerator I have a dry erase board divided into 9 squares. 6 for each room of the house, one for laundry, one for pets and one for misc reminders. Each person have a different color. Each night before I go to bed, I list each chore from my chore list on the board by color of whose chore it is. When the chor is completed the person erases it and by the end of the day of board is empty.
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