Create a Job Chart for Your Children
by Lori Hursey

To help my children learn responsibility and how to work together as a family, I enlist their help with some jobs around the house.  Most children (and adults) need a visible reminder to stay on task throughout the week.  I made a photo/text JOB CHART for my children and laminated it.  When they have completed a task, they use a dry erase marker to draw a happy face in the appropriate square.  

When they were younger, the smiley faces were their incentive to help make up their beds and stay dry all day (during potty training days for my strong willed daughter).  As they’ve grown, we’ve progressed to more difficult chores, which enable them to earn a modest allowance.  Some of their chores are only required once or twice a week (bring their trashcan or laundry to me)…those jobs have an X on the days that they are not required.  Instead of giving orders for things that need to be done, I simply ask my children if they’ve completed their jobs for the day.  They look at their chart and complete any missing chores.  

My children enjoy the responsibility of completing something in their own time, and I enjoy letting them help without having to direct their actions throughout the day.  The chores on their job chart are things that they have always been expected to complete, such as clean up their toys at the end of the day, help make up their beds, etc. 

I would be glad to share my children’s JOB CHARTS with you.  It is an Excel document that you can adjust/personalize as needed.  If you’re not computer-savvy I can help you personalize your list.  Email me at lori@simplicityorganizing.com for more information.

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