Chores, chores, chores!

My poor, deprived kids don't get paid allowance.  I hear it all the time from them...griping, moaning, complaining, etc...about not having money of their own.  That's not to say I never give them money, but I make them EARN their money. Giving a child allowance is like putting them on welfare--it teaches them to get something for nothing.  NOT the attitude I want my kids to develop.  Money should be associated with work--and the more/harder you work, the more money you have. This household is NOT a welfare state.  If they want to go to the movies or any other activity with their friends (which is happening with increased frequency these days) they have to have the money to pay for it--I will NOT just hand it over. No money...no fun.  Sorry.
Now...as they have grown older, their need for money is increasing, and I have been looking for a system that will help me have them work and earn with more regularity.
Awhile ago I was reading my former college roommate's blog and she posted her chore chart.  It was interesting to me that she felt the same way about giving her kids money that I do...and I suddenly felt the need to copy her.  So I have to thank her in advance for her great ideas!  It has taken me a few months to put it altogether (not because it was hard, I just needed to find the time) and now it's DONE!

My new "chore chart" actually consists of two different charts.  The first is the jobs that are required of everyone simply because they live in this house...It's the standard jobs like taking care of their own stuff, basic cleaning tasks, laundry, cooking and taking care of pets.

The house is divided into three "zones"--blue cards are for common areas (family rooms, living room), the red cards are for the kitchen, and yellow are for bathrooms and laundry room.  In addition every set of colors has basic jobs like cleaning up your own bedroom to go along with their zone jobs.  There are a lot more jobs than there are slots, but I figure eight jobs a day is good enough, and sometimes they will have less than that.  This chart is going to be WAY better than my old way of doing things, because I can toss in the cards as I see things that need to be done.  As they finish the jobs, the cards are moved to the "done" pocket.  The colored cards also make it easy for me to see at a glance who is done and who is not when they are "claiming" to be finished. I don't even have to move my fat lazy carcass off the couch! :)

The other chart is filled with jobs that they can do to earn money.  It's filled with all those things I either hate to do or just don't seem to find time to get around to doing. Most of them are pretty easy...but some are more complicated. Paying jobs are not available every day--mostly on Saturdays (at least while they're in school) or when I find stuff that desperately needs to be done.

The pockets allow me to put money right in with the card which is good incentive, since they get it as soon as they're done.  I put in different amounts based on how hard the job is and how long it will take--anywhere from one to five dollars.   There are rules surrounding these jobs:

1. ALL regular jobs must be completed before moving on to paying jobs.
2. Once the job is complete it must be "checked off" by mom or dad before taking the money. The cards have specific instructions that explain what is expected.
3. You can only do one job at a time--no "dibs" on all the easy jobs. Once the first job is done, you can move on to another.
4. If I finish my jobs and move on to these jobs before they get to them, the money disappears, so it's best to get moving.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this system.  Whoever works the hardest and moves the fastest makes the most money...Move slow, complain a lot, do a lousy job and you get nothing...Kinda like life.