It’s been just about a year now since we started systematically assigning chores to our children. Before that we pretty much just told the kids to do a chore when we saw that it needed to be done.
If the garbage was full, we’d ask Luke to take it out.
If the table needed to be cleared from lunch, we’d tell Rachel to do it.
This method wasn’t working very well, so we finally sat down and assigned certain chores to certain kids and then we would rotate the chores each month (depending on the child’s ability) so that each child would have a little variety with their chores.
Since I didn’t grow up with any kind of chore system in place (I did chores; there just wasn’t any rhyme or reason to them) and since we had just started to implement some kind of chore system in our home, I was pleased to review Managers of Their Chores: A Practical Guide to Children’s Chores by Steven and Teri Maxwell of Titus2.com.
Managers of Their Chores is a book packed with advice and wisdom about the how’s and why’s of implementing a chore system in your home. It contains 20 chapters that cover areas such as the benefits of chores, attitudes toward chores, the Biblical basis for chores, making and implementing a chore system in your home, plus a handy appendix full of master forms, sample chore lists, and a step-by-step guide for putting your chore system together.
The first seven chapters discuss the many benefits of chores for the family and for the children, as well as what the Bible says about work and chores, and how the attitudes of all the family members toward chores plays a role in the success of a chore system in your home. I felt that all of this information was very helpful, especially if you are tying to decide if chores or a chore system are something you want to implement in your home. I had never looked at chores from a Biblical perspective before, but once I did, it really made me see the importance of kids contributing to the family. The current and lifetime benefits of having children do chores as discussed by the authors is enough to make most parents put implementing chores or a chore system at the top of their priority list.
Chapter 8 is where the meat of the book starts. This is when ChorePacks are introduced which is the “heart” of the system. A ChorePack is a clear, heavy-duty vinyl pocket that holds several chore cards. Each chore card describes a particular chore that the child has to do. The ChorePack also has a clip on it that the child can clip onto their clothing.
The book then moves on to offer encouragement to those that are “home-management challenged,” and then on to developing your chores system – developing a master chore list, making chore assignments, frequency of chores, scheduling chores and revising, safety considerations when assigning chores, implementation of the chore system, as well as rewards, consequences, evaluating completed chores, and troubleshooting, There is also a chapter dedicated to preschoolers and chores.
The Appendix has a very helpful section called “Recommended Steps for Putting Your Chore System Together.” The book offers so much information that this section is handy in that it’s kind of a condensed version of the ‘how-to’ part of the book.
There is also an internet-based software program available for a $12 yearly fee that enables you to create your own chore system online by taking you through the process described in the book.
Managers of Their Chores retails for $25 and includes the book and ChorePack Kit (ChorePack holders for up to 4 children, cardstock, and vinyl card holder). Additional ChorePacks can be purchased for $7. There is also a support forum, Chore Board, where book owners can interact with one another and glean ideas and insight.
I think this book contains a ton of practical advice and things to think about when implementing a chore system in your home. The samples in the appendix are very helpful and the provided step-by-step instructions for putting together your chore system are helpful as well. However, I didn’t implement the actual ChorePack system for our family, as it seemed a little too structured for us. But I definitely picked up some nuggets of wisdom to use as we move forward with implementing chores in our home. If you like lists, structure, and predictability, then this might be a good fit for your family. You have a chance to win a copy of Managers of Their Chores and see for yourself. Use the rafflecopter below to enter:
Making sure they do their chores without having to remind them!
My biggest challenge is remembering who does what and when. Even when I write it down it seems like things don’t get done. I have Managers of Their School and would love this one!
I meant that I have the Managers of Their Homes…
My biggest struggle is deciding WHEN in the day choretime is…
The biggest struggle is my own executive function issues. I need a system for me, as well as for my kids!
We struggle with everything- I really need to get a chore system in place!
My biggest struggle is with my own consistency.
The whining, and the constant reminding to keep on task.
My son is very willing to help, my daughter is a complainer.
My biggest challenge is staying organized enough to make sure my five are organized and doing their chores.
How much extra work it takes to get my kids to do their chores halfway decent.
I’ve always wanted to read this and see if it would benefit our family of 7.
It is all hard. There are chores they don’t like, they fuss and whine when I remind them and finding chores for them to do before and after school that do not take too much time. Right now during the summer nothing gets done unless I beg and yell.
My biggest struggle is being consistent and remembering to assign those chores that don’t need to be done regularly.
This may be a duplicate, but was having trouble with my computer. Everything is hard when it comes to getting my kids to do their chores. They whine and fuss, just don’t do them and it is hard to get anything done. I have begged and pleaded, but they will not do them on their own. We start a new chore chart and I get them all excited and then by the end of the week they are back to old ways. I do not ask alot of them, but a little help around the house is not too much to ask for. Would love to try this system.
Making a plan! I’ve been terrible about it.
My biggest challenge is starting at all! I’ve read a lot of ideas, but I have no follow-through. Something like this, with everything laid out so neatly (and chore pack included!) sounds great for a slow-starter like me!
Everything!!!
Chores are a constant struggle at our house. My kids only want to work when I am there with them, but then I cannot get my stuff done. If I have them help me, then their stuff doesn’t get done.
The biggest struggle I have with getting my children to do chores is that they just won’t listen or they will pick one or two things up and then disappear.
This book will change our lives!!!!
My biggest struggle is diligence. I never learned it! I will need to wear my own chore pack along with the children until I get into the diligence habit.
My biggest struggle is consistency. We start off strong, then it all slowly falls apart.
My biggest struggle is consistency. I often forget what their chores are so I’m not good at reminding them.
I struggle with follow through! Always come up with cool ways to chart the progress…just doesn’t last longer then a month!!!
My biggest challenge is figuring out who needs to do what, what they are capable of doing, and when they need to do it!
Being consistent… especially this summer. Weeks where we have been busy, chores seem the first thing that get forgotten, by me!
We have Managers of their Homes, and we love it (though we’re having a hard time implementing it). This is my first year homeschooling my nephew (he’s 3) and I would love to start implementing chores in as well as part of homeschooling. This would be an awesome thing for our home.
Our biggest struggle is motivation for me, and reminders for him. He’s 3 so we’re just getting started on this.
I can’t handle the complaining. It’s easier just to do it myself… But that doesn’t teach important life lessons. It only saves my sanity. This product could do both!
would love for them to be more accountable and self-starting where their chores are concerned.
Can wait to get organize with chores!!! With 4 children getting organized is key!!!
The biggest struggle in our house is planning chores. Right now, if we need something done, I have to ask for it. The most frustrating part is if something needs picking up, it’s usually just ignored until I say something. 🙁
being consistent. I can never remember who does what and for how long. Then it’s just easier if I do it- that’s not going well