How to Use Chore Charts To Help Build Character

Chores are more than just boring jobs, they’re a way for kids to contribute to the family and can help prepare them for adulthood.

1. Make an easy to follow list

If kids are prone to forgetfulness, creating a simple chore chart can help remind them of everything they need to do daily, weekly, and even monthly. Whether it be with stickers or a whiteboard, make an easy way for kids to track what chores have to be done and which ones they have done.

These chore card templates from The Idea Room are sorted by room in the house and are easy to follow! They’re best for kids able to read.

For preschoolers, this simple chart made from a cookie sheet are a great visual for little ones.

2. Offer rewards for extra chores

Sometimes, kids go above and beyond their normal chores. Offer small incentives when they do extra chores, do an especially good job, or do a chore without complaining or being asked! The reward could be anything from 30 extra minutes of screen time to $1, or a trip to Dairy Queen.

3. Let the kids be involved

When you’re coming up with the list, have kids get involved with the decision-making process. Have them go through their daily routine and the family’s daily routine to decide what needs to go on the list.

Enter to win $200 Character Building Prize Pack!

4. Make it fun

“A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!” Showing kids that chores can be fun can make them more engaging.

Also, this can emphasize the importance of thankfulness! For example, we are thankful for the house we have to clean.

5. Mix it up

Sometimes, piles of laundry and putting away clean dishes add up. Rotating chores between kids can help make things seem less boring.

Possible chores to rotate:

• Folding laundry
• Drying dishes
• Vacuuming the floors
• Dusting

View the full character building series here!

The post How to Use Chore Charts To Help Build Character first appeared on True Aim.

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Cookies and Cream Ice Cream with No Machine!

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Chores for 6-8-year-olds

When kids are this age, they can do a lot! My daughter does and it is a HUGE help, plus she is very independent.

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I felt like my head was going to pop off.

I try to start our lessons at 9, but it was taking us until 10 to get done with breakfast and clean up. Something had to be done. These chore charts have totally transformed our mornings.

DIY Dry Erase Chore Charts

I’ve tried a lot of different things; chore packs from the Duggards, chore binders, chore clip boards, chore charts on the fridge, in the pantry, in the bedrooms. The ones that have been the most successful for us are the ones we put right in our face. We were doing fine with the charts on the fridge, but it was really messy and ugly.

I was looking for a better solution when I found some cheap floating frames. I printed off a new chore chart we created from the parent library in Blue Manor Academy and cut out the chores that best fit my children. Here’s a peek inside the parent library:

Visuals really help my daughter Emma since she is only 4 and there are spaces to mark the chore off twice if it is one that they need to do morning and night. I knew the perfect spot for them was inside our homeschool closet. Now, they are out of the way, but hard to miss since we use that closet everyday.

WOW! Who would have thought that $2 frames could change my life. Making my girls’ charts look important has elevated their importance and made chores special. The girls have been using them for a while now and they just love checking everything off.

We reward them each week with allowance and take away allowance for every chore missed. At the end of the month they get to spend a little at the store for whatever they want.

Work for Children

Children are huge assets to parents and if we are smart, we’ll take advantage. Kids not only  benefit from the work ethic, they’ll be so proud of all they can accomplish on their own! As adults, they’ll be used to cleaning up after themselves and have an easier time managing their home.

I’ve listed some of the things my children (ages 4 & 6) do for chores below. In addition to the usual daily responsibilities, we have a mystery chore for my eldest daughter where she can pick whatever chore she wants to do. There’s also one for caring for others. This can be anything from taking care of her brother and sister, even dad and mom or she can make a card for someone or calling family.

• Dress themselves
• Make Bed
• Fold Clothes
• Sweep Kitchen
• Wipe Table
• Clean Bathroom Counters, Mirrors, Sinks
• Water Plants
• Set the Table
• Care for Others
• Help with Meals
• Load Dishwasher
• Clean Up Toys

These chore charts have really helped me too. Now I can remember what they’re supposed to be doing. Get a free trial to Blue Manor Academy here! 

Do you have a chore system? I’d love to hear about it!

You might also like my Values for Children Series:

Grab the Character Book Set to help your child learn the vocabulary and inspire them to have great character!

The post DIY Dry Erase Chore Charts for Young Children first appeared on True Aim.

Laundry is like a gnat that flies in your face on a summer evening.  It’s always there and no matter how many times you swat at it, it keeps coming back.  I used to get discouraged by just sorting laundry, but now I know it’s something I have to incorporate into my routine, like brushing my teeth.  If left unchecked the laundry monster can grow into a behemoth.  So here are a few ways I stay on top of it.

Too Many Clothes

We are so grateful for family and friends who have passed on their gently used clothing.  I went about 4 years without needing to buy anything for my girls because of it.  There really can be too much of a good thing though and when my daughters’ couldn’t manage it themselves, I got rid of 50% of their clothing.

They’re Not Dirty

After getting rid of a lot of clothing, I had to tackle the problem of clothes going straight into the dirty hamper even if it wasn’t dirty.  Part of it was that my girls didn’t want to fold their clothes and put them away because of how stuffed their drawers were. So that was covered.

Next, I explained the rules for clean vs dirty clothes.  Underwear gets changed everyday and if they go outside, pants are dirty.  Shirts and dresses are clean if they don’t get any food on them and when in doubt, ask mom or dad.  I can see that there is a real temptation to “clean up” their room by scooping everything up and putting it in the dirty laundry bin. That’s why I started to make them do their own laundry.

Developing a Laundry Routine

The kids each have their own clean laundry bin and share a dirty hamper.  Throughout the week, we’ll clean and dry loads as the dirty bins get full, but we wait to fold laundry as a family twice a week.  While we fold, we like to listen to an audio book or radio show like Adventures in Odyessy for free online.

Stop Sorting

Since I started teaching my oldest daughter how to use the washer, things have gotten easier, but we’ve had a few color bleeding incidents with whites getting mixed in with the darks.  Now, “The Rules Have Changed”!  Purex® No Sort for Colors is the detergent with breakthrough Anti-Color-Transfer Technology which traps loose dyes in the wash and does not let them settle onto other fabrics.

I don’t have to worry about Audrey sorting anymore and we do less loads!  It’s #LaundrySimplified!

With all the extra time and money we save not having to sort the laundry, my kids can get back to being kids.

Keep in mind the back label reads “Purex No Sort detergent is packed with innovation, but it can’t perform miracles, so please follow these words of advice: wash strongly colored fabrics or new pieces of clothing, especially jeans, separately at least 5 times before doing a mixed color load with Purex No Sort detergent.”

For more tips on conquering the laundry monster, follow Purex on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Youtube!

Have any laundry day tips?  Please leave a comment!

The post Stop Sorting Laundry! #LaundrySimplified first appeared on True Aim.