Comments on: How to Assign Household Chores

on 9/28/2007 I've developed a free (ad-supported) website that allows families to organize their chores as well as other household tasks. Just go to www.householdpages.com and register.

on 8/8/2006 Save the aluminum lids to frozen concentrate juices. Wash and dry the lids, then have your kid(s) paint the lids with acrylic paint (can be painted on both sides for a dual magnet). Let them dry, then paint the name if the chore or task on them.
Example- brush teeth, brush hair, mop, vacuum, pick up toys. Glue magnets to the back of the lid and leave them on the refrigerator. My kids, age 4 and 6, had a blast making these as well as using them. :)

on 8/2/2006 Kids tend to complete tasks better if it is more enjoyable to them, so make a game out of chores. Assign your kids an equal amount of chores that they have to complete and keep an organized chart for everyone to see. Once a kid completes a chore, they have to report it to mom or dad or and the person in charge has to sign the box that is for their chore. Points can be awarded for how well the chore was completed. Higher points would be for no complaining, didn't give-up/got it done when necessary, and worked hard on the task, etc. At the end of the month, money would be rewarded for the amount of points received. Each chore is worth 10 points, so maybe every 5 points earned is worth one dollar. The kids can also have a little jar stored with the chart that the money earned is put in, teaching them how to save up for important things.

on 7/15/2006 My kids started doing chores at a very young age. What we use is a ticket system. Each ticket is worth .25 cents. For each chore they do, such as cleaning their room, taking a bath, putting their clothes away and helping Mommy, they get 1 ticket. Then on payday we exchange their tickets for real money and they can save or spend it. This way we don't have to pay an allowance for them to do nothing. We will also take away a ticket if they refuse to clean their room or take a bath or fight with each other. It has helped us out a lot!

on 6/30/2006 Join the League of Anti-Wives (the L.A.W.), invest in a good hammock and stress less. Following my advice will not actually render your house clean, but it does solve the problem, and you might get a laugh out of it. I mean, really, do you want "She kept her house spotless" on your gravestone when you die?

on 3/12/2006 Save the aluminum lids to frozen concentrate juices. Wash and dry the lids, then have your kids paint the lids with acrylic paint (can be painted on both sides for a dual magnet). Let them dry, then paint the name of the chore or task on them.
Example- brush teeth, brush hair, mop, vacuum, pick up toys. Glue magnets to the back of the lid and leave them on the refrigerator. My kids, age 4 and 6, had a blast making these, as well as using them.

on 11/22/2005 Rather than punishing children for not doing chores, they should be rewarded when they do them. This will create a positive association with the activity, and as they become teenagers and adults, they will maintain the routine of doing chores that they have already established efficiency in in childhood.

Rewarding children with money for doing chores will also help them understand the value of money. They will appreciate money and learn to save it if they had to work for it.

on 11/22/2005 Read http://hanson.gmu.edu/tugowar.html.

on 11/22/2005 When my kids (I have 7) don't want to do their chores, I take something from them that they want. As soon as they realize that it's something they must do, and they do it, I give the thing back along with a great big "great job!"

on 11/22/2005 When my kids want to earn extra money, I have a list of extra chores such as weeding or cleaning out the garage. If I don't have the cash on hand I give them "Mommy money." They can turn it in later for real money. It works great!!