Previously I would give the kids a couple of jobs, or ask them to do certain things on that day or when needed, honestly I got tired of always having to ask for things to be done so I put together a 'chore' chart, I generally don't like the word chore, hence it is 'Our Contribution for the week'. I have tried numerous 'chore' charts over the years, none really worked for me or it just fizzled out after a week or two. However this new system, I am loving and it is working! Eva (8) loves it, more so than they older kids, but there is no nagging or having to tell the kids daily what to do, everyone knows what is their role is and it's getting done, everyday, so that's a massive win in my book.
My beautiful kiddies are 15, 14 and 8 years old and quite capable of contributing a whole lot more than what they actually have done in the past. I do not give my kids pocket money or pay them to anything around our home, my personal view is that we all live in our home together and we should all take responsibility and work together as a team to keep our home clean and tidy. For me it is also about teaching my kids about responsibility, team work and so much more, at the end of the day I want to know that in the future I am sending out into the world, young adults who know how to look after themselves, their home and belongings, and at the very least know how to work a washing machine and iron a shirt!
I include myself on the chart not just the kids, I feel it's important for my kiddies to see us as a team, and know that I'm not asking them to do something I wouldn't do/offloading the tasks I don't like doing. The best part is that it really doesn't take much time to power through the tasks and if we're doing them together and at the same time, there is a sense of accomplishment for everyone of a job well done.
Pop some music on, set a timer, which works a treat because 10 or 15minutes doesn't seem like a big ask, even for kids and you'd be amazed at how much gets done in that time, especially if it's a daily effort from everyone and at the end of that time, the house is clean and we've managed to accomplish in that time what would have taken me an hour or more to do on my own.
I have the chart laminated on the fridge and daily we tick off the tasks we've completed, Eva loves this and can't wait to tick her completed tasks off! That evening I will wipe off any 'ticks' for the daily tasks completed ready for the next morning, after everyone has had a quick look to make sure they've accomplished what should have been done that day. I have made up 3 weekly charts which are rotated (3 as Eva won't be doing the laundry & patio zone) and I switch them out weekly on a Sunday night.
Most importantly define what clean means to you and your family, and do what works and feels right for your family, obviously age will come into it but the tasks can be age appropriate, it's about including everyone in your family, working as a team and helping you out in the process...many hands make light work!
The Chart...
The basics...
- I have broken our home down into zones
- Each person is responsible for that zone/s for the full week, it basically involves doing whatever is needed to keep the zone tidy and orderly
- A nightly kitchen task is rotated throughout the week, however we all help tidy up after dinner, and will rinse and put our own dishes in the dishwasher. The person who is responsible for the kitchen that night will wash any big dishes, wipe down benches & stove, take rubbish out etc.
- I take care of the kitchen clean up in the morning
- Each week on a Monday the chart will be changed up and each person will have new zone, the only exception is Eva who will be excluded from the 'Laundry & Patio' as Miss 8 isn't quite up to the task of handling the laundry
- There is some flexibility in regards to the tasks listed, it's more about having one person responsible for that zone for the full week, checking in on their zone morning and night and making their own decisions around what needs doing that day, but ultimately they understand how that zone should look and they are responsible for making sure things look tidy and clean
- The reason behind having a zone allocated for a full week was so they could take full ownership for that zone and understand what goes into keep a zone clean, day in and day out. It also means they are a little more thoughtful when it comes to leaving a mess and not cleaning up after themselves
- On the weekend we go a little deeper, that's when they are responsible for the dusting, vacuuming etc. On the week days I will run around with vacuum or mop as a part of my evening routine
- If I walk through a 'zone' at any time and it needs to be straightened, the person responsible is the person who's asked to take care of it
I will keep you updated in the coming months as to how it is working out and if I've made any changes along away, but so far so good!
If anyone has any questions or would like a soft copy of the chart (I have just made the chart in Word) please feel free to leave a comment with your email address or head over to Instagram or Facebook and comment or PM me with your email address or you can email me directly at Organising me and mine.
Hoping everyone enjoys the rest of the week! Xx
