I despise having to ask my teenager and twin girls to do something repeatedly. Nor do I want to hear the grunts and sighs they utter in response to my directives. How did I solve this? With good behavior and chore charts!
When the twins turned six on Christmas, I decided that they were old enough to pitch in around the house.
I often have a knack for organization and I also enjoy arts and crafts. So, the best plan of attack to get my girls on the chore bandwagon was to start with a chore chart. Thanks to Pinterest, I quickly got some great ideas. I decided to create a chart that allowed me interchange the chores expected from them.
How to create chore charts
Initially, I previewed templates in Microsoft Excel before browsing YouTube. I designed my chart to include all seven days of the week. I also added a column to outline what each child could expect to earn for completing each chore (which I will use further down the road).
Next, I had to figure out what I wanted the chore list to look like. I wanted it to grow as my twins’ own capabilities increased. Then, I pasted in pictures next to each chore (clip art). I also laminated each and attached Velcro to the back to make them interchangeable. Finally, I left space next to each picture so that the younger girls could learn the words associated with each picture.
I then decided the number of “house” chores versus “personal” chores to include. Because this is their first chart, I only included two house chores each. The idea is to get the twins into a daily routine. They will know what is expected of them. At some point, I will cut down on the number of personal chores and not allocate them toward weekly earnings.
Designing a behavior chart
I had an epiphany! If I made a good behavior chart, then maybe the twins would stop arguing with each other. (I grew up almost like an only child. I visited my half-brother once or twice a year. I visited my stepsisters maybe twice a year. These arrangements were not conducive to squabbles; much different than the “fighting” my hubby experienced with his two brothers.) To be fair to the twins, they are both in the same class and spend 24/7 with each other.
I found it easy to create a “chore chart modification” from my original. Instead of getting check marks and money, the girls earn stickers. They earn small ones for a park or library trip and a big one when the whole chart is filled (i.e., a trip to the movies). I decided to laminate this chart to use less paper. The only drawback: you have to peel the stickers off when you start a new week.
The results of my charting experiment
I introduced the chore chart first. The twins were (and still are) excited about it. What surprised me the most was the twin who didn’t care for chores was enthusiastic from the get-go. Here are some the positives. The girls:
- Picked out clothes for the next day ahead of time
- Brushed their teeth without arguing
- Checked off their chore charts thoroughly before bed
Having money being involved definitely increased motivation! They are so proud when they are able to check everything off for the day. Here is the breakdown of the chart scoring:
- If the twins have completed a chore, that chart gets a check.
- If they do NOT need to complete the chore, the chore gets a minus and it does NOT count against them.
- If the twins do NOT complete a chore, the chart gets an X. This DOES count against them.
We’ve only used the behavior chart for a short while. The twins earn stickers when my husband or I catch them doing good things. We avoid,”Hey look what I did, do I get a sticker?” moments. I borrowed this concept from their school. The school hands out “caught ya” cards to students when they are caught doing something good. This is great because it teaches them to do nice things because it is the right thing to do.
The end result–good behavior and chore charts are not only game changers, but sanity helpers, too!
