Chore Cups that Work

So, in my quest to help my children develop basic housekeeping skills and responsibility as well as to delegate some of those chores from my to do list, I've tried several things.

First we tried the wheel...divided into 4 sets of chores with clothespins attached with our names. We switched out chores once a week and since I did everything once a month, always following my youngest, I was fairly satisfied with the system. However it lacked the ability to "check off" the chores so I kept having to ask throughout the day and remind. That is not what I wanted.

We tried traditional chore charts as well...I made the mistake of having too many chores there. From get up, get dressed, brush teeth to pick up toys, help set table, etc. And since at the time, most of the kids couldn't read I ended up working with them a lot. At the time they were pretty young so that was OK since I could teach as I went. I once heard to teach a child a new chore you need to have them watch you 5 times, do it with you 5 times, do it under your supervision 5 times and do it and then have it checked afterward 5 times. Yeah...that's a lot of supervision and in my case requires robotic precision which is not my strong suit.

I started my current system after seeing a friend's post on FB. She had a colored mug for each child and large craft sticks colored to match for each one. I used the colored sticks and put the things my kids are required to do just to take care of themselves...with no compensation. Time with Jesus (which is usually AWANA practice and reading/listening to a Bible story and narrating), make your bed, tidy your room (We do a major clean/vacuum on Thurs.), hygiene, school, piano for my oldest two. Some would argue that putting the time with Jesus and school in with chores isn't so good. I just wanted to train them to think of those as things they do each day as a matter of course. So, I added little tiny pictures that I copied from the internet to the end of each stick so my non-readers can see and do their chores by themselves. Then I divided up the chores that they get a commission for and put those on non-colored sticks. Each child keeps these for a week and then they pass to the next cup. Here's how they are grouped. Set 1: pick up downstairs daily, vacuum downstairs (all in one week and as needed), feed/care of ferret. Set2: unload dishwasher daily, bring down all laundry (Sun. night), gather and put out trash (Tues.), get mail daily. Set 3: Sweep hard floor daily, clean appliances and cupboards once a week, set and clear table for dinner, check dog food/water daily. For these there is a commission of $2...which I realize isn't much, but I think that living in a house with meals and clothes and all kinds of other perks is a good part of their commission too. If I have to remind or if I have to do a job, a 50 cents fine. The kids turn their sticks upside down when they finish and I check at the end of the night and invert them for the next day.

I also have another cup with other chores that are mine that the kids can do or help with for added commission...depending on how long they work and how well they do the job and how much supervision they need. Things such as: mowing, shoveling snow or raking leaves, washing glass, cleaning sinks/counters, sweeping the garage, removing trash and vacuuming a vehicle, vacuuming furniture, dusting blinds/fan with a dry swab, mopping floors, picking up yard or pulling weeds, cleaning bathtub/showers, bringing down bedding and helping wash and remake. I use all non-toxic cleaners so there's never an issue of them being dangerous for kids to use. I also have "power cleaning hours" if we get behind when we all pitch in and I just give them one chore after another till we get done. Usually that results in an ice cream trip or a run to Redbox type deal.

So, far the cup system has worked best...of course, my kids are getting older. This year, everyone is officially school age and I do think that makes a difference. Also, very helpful is that my youngest LOVES to help and has the ability to work hard and stick with a job till it's done. So, he ends up being able to keep up with his siblings.

Also a final note on commissions. We ask the kids to tithe and put away some money for savings and then spend. Elly has a cute little bank with all those separate compartments. The boys have envelopes for saving and a mug for giving. We make trips to the bank every few months to add to savings and empty the giving mug sometimes for church offering, but usually for things that are a little more kid oriented like Operation Shoebox with Samaritan's purse, our Compassion kids' birthday present or to send to orphans in the Ukraine for Valentine's goodies. I don't tell the kids how much...like the 10% thing, but they always give more than that. I decided I just didn't want to make it too legalistic. We just remember that everything we have belongs to God and that everything He gives (money, talents, time) He expects us to share with others and use to make a name for him.

Then, in order