Chore Charts - For Mum & Kids

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I am in the middle of doing myself up a bit of a routine for household chores, i had one a while ago and it went missing and i really want to get myself and the kids into a nice routine with the house and try keeping it clean.

DD1 likes to help clean, she gets her fake Vac and pretends to vac while i do, then she gets the real vac and does a couple of spots, she gets her step and a spare sponge and helps 'wash' the dishes (some help it takes an extra 20min ) and likes to 'help' put clothes in the washing machine.

Now she has asked for a 'chart' of her own... what do i do?
I by no means intend to keep her to a 'schedule' or force her to do chores but is it wrong of me to think it might be a good idea to teach her to be responsible for her pets (ie put on feeding the cat etc) or to get a star when she tidies her books etc?

Basically i was thinking of just doing up a page like her potty chart and putting things like feed the dogs, fish, cat, make your bed (which she actually likes doing), pack up toys, put books away, dishes (only as her helping of course) and basically she gets a star whenever she does these things.
I am going to get her to help me once a week do a 'proper' clean of her room (vac, change sheets, dust, sort clothes etc) as at the moment it's a bomb and she refuses to pick up after herself.

I know she's not quite 3 but while the interest is there, what do you think?

For myself i was thinking of making my list to go on the fridge, then printing off little sheets with that days 'list' and crossing them off as i go ?

[Tinks]

Great idea ZF!

If she's refusing to pick up after herself put that on her chart too.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Thanks hun, just worried it's too much like asking her to do chores IYKWIM... but it wont be there as a you MUST do these things but a "good girl you fed the fish" kind of thing

The other thing is i know if DD1 has 1 then DD2 is going to want one aswell, is it wrong for a 19mth old to have a 'helpers chart'... think thats what i'll call it.

[Tinks]

I don't think there's anything wrong with having one for dd2 but she probably won't understand the concept until she's a bit older. Maybe just a piece of paper on the fridge that she can put her stickers on when A gets hers would be enough for Z.

I get ya. Maybe just do up a star chart with no list and every time she does something you think deserves a star (like putting a toy back, feeding fish, helpind with the dishes etc) you can make a big deal of and give her a star. That way she'll associate doing things with getting the stars as opposed to you expecting her to do certain jobs. You can have a reward system in place so that when she gets a certain amount of stars you'll take her out for ice cream or do something fun to celebrate.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Thanks hun, i have written mine and printed out squares for hers and she just said "where are my words"
So i think i might just put in feed cat, feed fish, help with dishes, help vac, tidy room, make bed and then have spaces for stars.

My little girl is getting too big, she can read and write her own name and now she can read and write DAD...

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Her 'Helping Chart' is done and she already has a star on it and is actually attempting to help me in her room, ohhh it might be a good thing after all.
Her first was helping with the dishes this morning, the other things are:
Helping make her bed, helping clean her room, feeding the pets, helping pick up toys, helping water the plants & helping with the washing

[JLeigh29]

I thought I was the only one who had a weekly housework chart on the fridge! I have it divided into morning, middle of the day (DS' nap time) and arvo and include all the housework plus grocery shopping, regular outings and appointments (Library, Music for DS, chiro etc), cooking PLUS (most importantly!) what I like to call 'personal time'. In other words, time to be on BB, read and have a cuppa. Without my chart I get sidetracked and never get the 'me' time.Or I 'forget' to do the stuff that DS can't be around for when he's asleep (cleaning the toilet is just too hard when your little man loves brushes like mine does!) or I avoid the chores I don't like (cleaning the bathroom, lol!). I also have my meal planner at the bottom. I want to get it laminated so I can mark stuff off as I go and reuse it for my meal planner.
I love that your DD's want to be like their mummy! DS, 16 months, loves to help too - he gets a cloth if I'm cleaning or the dustpan brush or a duster!

[Liviam]

Sounds like a fabulous idea!! I might need to steal that idea for me - I'm terrible at the moment.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Mine i printed a sheet showing all the days to go on the fridge then some lists I cute out and stapled, will rip off for that day and cross off as I go


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- Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!