Chore chart systems can really be quite easy. In this article I'll give you some direction effective chore charts used to teach children important adult life skills and give them self-confidence.
My children have been doing chores since they were toddlers. Back then they worked alongside mommy folding laundry and picking up. Then we progressed to new jobs like organizing silverware and dusting furniture. As they got older, the chores changed based on the child's ability. They got the chance to clean the bathroom sinks, empty garbage cans, dust window sills, and vacuum carpets.
Once they could do these chores, usually by age four or five, then we moved on to a four-year-old chore chart. The four-year-old chart was simple and predictable but also presented new challenges each day. It helped the children learn multiple tasks during each week, and offered bonding time with older siblings and parents during some chore time.
Example of a Four-Year-Old's Chore Chart
- Monday- Laundry and silverware, Dinner – Help the cook
- Tuesday- Window Sills, Dinner chore – Help the cook
- Wednesday- Vacuum Family room, Family yard work assignment, Dinner – Help the cook
- Thursday- Empty trash cans and wash one, Dinner – Help the cook
- Friday- Help Mom wash bathroom floors, Dinner – Help the cook
- Saturday- Wash sink in the Fishy Bathroom, Family yard work assignment, Dinner – Help the cook
- Sunday- A day of rest, Dinner – Help the cook
- Say "OK" to all other Instructions too.
At six-year-old, a chore chart, though still very similar to the four-year-old's chart, requires more independence. And, because they are still quite young, there are still instances where six-year-old children should be working alongside older siblings and parents, which allows for bonding and increased skill development.
Example of a Six Year-Old's Chore Chart
- Monday- Laundry and silverware
- Tuesday- Window Sills
- Wednesday- Vacuum Family room, Family yard work assignment, Dinner- cook with mom
- Thursday- Empty trash cans and wash one
- Friday- Help mom wash bathroom floors
- Saturday- Wash sink in the Fishy Bathroom, Family yard work assignment
- Sunday- A day of rest
- Say "OK" to all other Instructions
A rotating chore chart system, for children over age eight, could be used. Specific lists of chores rotate each week from one child to the next. The variety of chores taught and the opportunity they give each child for skill development and mastery is the main reason for rotating the chores.
Example of Rotating Chores Lists for Two Children Over 8 Years (switch lists each week)
ROTATING CHORE LIST # 1 (gets to sit in front seat of car)
- Monday: Cook night & floor, vacuum the upstairs, empty trash cans, laundry
- Tuesday: Set table & dishes, wash small bathroom, dust banister
- Wednesday: unload & clear table, wash one window and blind, sweep garage porch, family yard work time
- Thursday: Cook night & floor, vacuum stairs, wash dust boards
- Friday: Load dishes & clean sink, organize a cupboard or drawer, wash kitchen chairs
- Saturday: Unload & Clean Table, dog poop or cat litter, organize toy room (ask mom), Yard Work assignment
ROTATING CHORE LIST # 2
- Monday: Set table & dishes, wash kitchen floor, wash bed sheets, laundry
- Tuesday: Cook night & floor, wash entry tile, wash cupboard fronts,
- Wednesday: Load & clean sink, Vacuum basement, wash toy room floor, family yard work time
- Thursday: Set Table & dishes, wash basin bathroom, dust upstairs
- Friday: unload / clear table, clean master bathroom, clean mirrors and glass
- Saturday: set table & load, Dog poop or cat litter, Stove / Sink / Microwave, yard work assignment
The Stewardship System
I first heard about a stewardship system from my good friend Diann Jeppson, who is a leadership and home education guru. But, even though I had heard about a stewardship approach to doing chores, I did not feel my children were really ready for it yet. I knew that teaching certain skills would be the first step, then would come the ownership of the chores needing to be done. A stewardship gives a child a defect understanding of actions, as well as an appreciation for others who perform actions in their behalf.
Stewardships are necessary for teaching someone leadership or self-government. In order to learn self-government, a person has to have a vision of what is possible, and what needs to be done to fix a problem as well as the skills to do the project. Chore stewardships are the perfect mini-projects for developing these skills and problem solving strategies. They are a vital building blocks for healthy, motivated, and confident children and adults.
People who are regularly given stewardships from a young age are usually the people who become great leaders. I have recently made the switch to a stewardship chore system because I want my children to have leadership opportunities.
How to Design Your Chores Stewardship System
For older children who have mastered basic home cleaning, the home can be divided into sections, then list in detail each small job that needs to be done daily and weekly in that section of your home (the lists can get quite long –just think of all that you do in a week to keep a section of the home clean, and write it all down). Once the older children are taught how to properly perform the cleaning tasks that are new to them for their assigned section, they are put in charge of a section. That means they make sure their assigned area's tasks are taken care of on a daily / weekly basis depending on the mini-chores required to keep it clean. (Making sure they take care of their stewardship is a topic for another article, just know that it is possible.) The Stewardships can be rotated as seems appropriate, weekly, monthly, even yearly if that makes sense to you.
In summary, children who are taught how to do chores properly and are, over time, given more responsibility to contribute to the family through their efforts, gain self-confidence, increase family bonding, and learn valuable problem solving and leadership skills. The keys are (1) having a system that everyone understands, one that is tailor to the age and ability of the children, and (2) coaching / teaching children in the chore-skills they need to master to successfully complete their chores.