Thursday, July 10, 2008

Organizing Job Charts

{Connor's smile and our summer job list and charts}

TIP: Making simple, do-able job charts makes mom's life easier and helps the kids feel more involved.

I am an organized person. I like to have a plan and I like to have charts and lists to illustrate my plan. The problem with this is that if I don't have time to sit and create charts and lists and hash out a plan, then nothing happens.

This was the case for me with organizing summer job charts/responsibility charts for my children. The time was just not there for me to focus and create what I wanted to create.

Which led to one of my favorite ideas ever!

I let go of the need to plan and create documents and our summer chart system was born in just a few short minutes.

I sat down with Connor one Monday morning and we made a list of the things he and Abby are responsible for each day. He drew himself a chart and I drew one for Abby. We wrote the first letter of each day of the week down the left column and left the other squares blank. I stashed a bunch of stickers on top of the fridge and the kids displayed their charts and job list on the fridge. In about 10 minutes we had our plan and our charts and were ready to work.

Our job list includes:
getting dressed & making bed
morning job
reading time (or workbook time)
computer time (they don't get stickers for this, but it has to come after reading time)
evening job
pick up toys
brush teeth & go to bed

I'm sure this list will change over time, but one thing I love is the idea of a morning and evening job. I didn't have to organize which job they would do each day at each time. I didn't even have to make a list of potential jobs for them to do. I just put those spots for jobs in there. Then at the appointed time I can look around and have them do whatever I need done that is age appropriate. Also, the kids are always surprised with their job and excited to do it because it doesn't become monotonous. It's working great!

For each job my kids do each day, they get a sticker. As many as they earn. On Saturday we count up all the stickers on their charts and they get a dime for each one. We put one-tenth in a tithing bag and save the rest of the money in a cute container. When they get a little more money earned up we'll take some to the bank so they can start saving. And Connor is already grasping the idea of spending some of his money to buy a new toy. (If only he could decide which toy to buy!)

Since my kids are still young, they don't get much money, but I like the idea of them earning a small amount of money for each of their jobs. This way I can teach them responsibility in the home and financial responsibility all in one plan.

(In case you can't figure out how this relates to learning, here are a few things that are being taught in all this. 1. being a responsible member of a family; 2. learning to be accountable for responsibilities and using lists and charts to keep track of them; 3. financial lessons, including saving money for the future and saving money for a desired item; 4. learning the days of the week and sticking stickers on the appropriate day.)

1 comment:

Gram said...

Great idea Laura! Conor is getting so good at his drawing and illustrating of things. I like that he KNOWS that he is capable of drawing whatever he wants. The sticker and the dimes are a great thing for them to learn.