More on Chores.

Just updating on our "Battle of the Chores." If you didn't read my previous post, here is the link. My DH has been extremely impressed by the Managers of Their Chores system. The kids have been waking up, clipping on their ChorePacks, and doing their chores. I love that I don't have to tell them what to do. They just do what is on the picture. There have been a couple of adjustments that I have made, but nothing that has taken away from the system itself.

When you purchase the book, you are allowed to register at ChorePacks.com. This website offers downloadable forms that help you create your chore system. You can also visit their Chore Board and read up on how others are using their ChorePacks, post about your experience, and access their ChoreWare software (available for a yearly subscription). This is also the place where you create pre-reader chore cards. The pre-reader cards are basically clipart used to represent a particular chore. I found that many of the clipart they feature, can be easily found on the internet, so it is not anything special. Here is where I did my first change.

I created my own pre-reader cards using clipart found using Microsoft Office and clipart from LDS Clipart. I then printed out the cards (4 per page) using Word. Voila!! My own pre-reader chore cards! Following is a sample of one page of the cards. The chore cards are printed on cardstock. I actually colored mine by hand, but you can also color them by using any paint program.



On the back of each card, is a description of what is to be done, although the picture itself is self explanatory. I did this mostly for my 6 and 4 year olds that are reading (or at least trying to!!). You then cut the cards out and stick them into the ChorePack. EASY!!!

Another way to approach the pre-reader cards is to do what a good friend of mine does. She prints out the page with the images, laminates it, and posts it on the door of the bedroom. The child then checks off the chores as they are completed with a crayon. The marks are easily erased at the end of the day and the chart is ready for use every morning!

Anyone can easily create their own chore system. The benefits to the purchase of a system, however, is that it provides a solid system. The Managers of Their Chores book offers wonderful insights, such as the benefits of chores, mom & dad attitudes, biblical basis for chores, and more. Not only that, but the book itself details simple steps to creating a chore system, how to implement the system, and it also gives great examples. There are forms, lists, and tidbits of advice that can prove to be invaluable to the chore challenged.

I'm hoping that as we continue to use our ChorePacks, chores become just another habit for the kids. Not having to remind them to make their beds or put their pajamas away is saving my voice!! My next step is to work on attitudes. But that is another entry for another day!