How To Set Up A Chore Chart

A chore chart is a simple yet powerful way to get your children to do their share of housework.  It has worked for many families and may well work for yours.  Find out how you can set up your own family chore chart which is perfectly suited for the ages of your children.

The Concept

The concept of a chore chart is fairly simple.  It is simply your instructions on household chores written down for all to see.  It thus eliminates, or at least minimizes the need, for incessant ordering or nagging.  The chore chart is a visual representation of the tasks that need to be done around the house, the specific doer of each of the tasks, the schedule for doing the tasks and the rewards/consequences of doing and not doing those tasks.

Steps In Setting Up A Chore Chart

Family Council

The family has to hold a meeting during which the parents discuss with the children how the chore chart works.  Children should be made to understand that there are just too many household chores to be done by just one or two persons (mom and dad).  Children should also realize that being trained to do housework is good for their physical, emotional and social development.

During the meeting, parents can ask the children to enumerate the things that need to be done daily, weekly or monthly.  The whole family should then discuss on who gets the responsibility for this and that task. The assignments should all be reasonable and age-appropriate.  The list of chores can then be made into a colorful and graphic chore chart which the whole family can refer to every day.

The chore chart is then posted on some public area where the whole family can see it.  The ref door is the most common place.  Other suitable places include the kitchen corkboard or the kids’ bedroom door.

There are plenty of printable chore charts from housekeeping websites but the best chore chart is that which is made for the particular needs of your family.

The Mechanics

When a child completes a task, he checks or marks off the corresponding square or cell in the chart.  An even better way would be to let him post a colorful sticker.  Depending on the rules, the parent can then check the chart for compliance.  An accumulated number of stickers, for instance, correspond to a certain reward.  On the other hand, a certain number of missed tasks could mean some form of punishment. 

One Final Thought

Even though the chore chart does not promise a flawless house, it accomplishes many things.  It teaches lessons on responsibility, discipline, team work and justice—things which may even be more important than just a clean house.