Chore Charts = Saving my Sanity!

Two weeks ago, I finally did something I've been saying I was going to do for months and months. I created a chore chart for Rix and Bryce (and someday Cole...but not yet). And let me tell you it has been a life saver! This is why: the boys are actually excited to do their chores, and it keeps me from having to nag them all day and then end up just doing it myself because no one is really listening to me anyway. In my former life, I cleaned the boys room while they "helped" a.k.a. stood around and watched me clean. I would make their bed in the morning, pick up their toys, and then gather up all the miscellaneous items that wandered into the kitchen and living room and put those away too.

Welcome to my new life! This is what the chore chart entails:
*Rix and Bryce have daily chores that are pretty much the same for both of them. This makes it easy because I'm not memorizing two different sets of chores, and they think it's fair because they are responsible for the same things.
* The chores include making their bed in the morning (if they don't do it in the morning, they don't get rewarded for it, but they still have to do it), cleaning their room, kitchen, and living room (they have to periodically pick up the toys so it isn't a disaster zone all day in my house), read for 20 minutes, either I read to them, or Rix can read to Bryce, eat dinner (this used to be a fight every night! now all I say is "you won't get a sticker!" and their is no arguments!), and by happily helpful  - like they can't argue or get mad when I need them to do something.
* For each chore completed, I give them a sticker for that chore. Five stickers can be redeemed for 30 minutes of video games, a prize from the prize bucket, a trip to the Dollar Store, or an extra cartoon before bed. They can save 20 stickers for a Happy Meal. Pretty much every day they get to pick out something with 5 stickers, so there is instant gratification and they see quickly how being helpful is rewarding.
* I also have a bonus space, so if they do something extra special that day or are extra helpful without being asked, I give them a bonus, which acts like 5 stickers. I gave the boys each a bonus sticker last week because they were so awesome at Great Wolf Lodge - no fights, arguments, and they listened really well to us.

This chore chart works for us, and the rewards are things my kids respond to. Find out what your kids like, and reward them with that! I like having help around the house, and I want the boys to learn that women aren't their personal Cinderella. By teaching them they are responsible for their own areas, I hope one day their wives will thank me when the boys do dishes after dinner or vacuum a dirty floor or make the bed in the morning.

I also do a game board for each boy. This allows them to move their "game piece" ahead one space each day that they don't throw a fit. They are at the age where they are learning how to deal with emotions and make good choices when they respond to anger and disappointment. Seriously, the fit-throwing has basically vanished from my home! The game board has about 25 spaces, and some spaces are just a picture, but every 4 spaces or so, there is a "reward", like getting to watch an extra show before bed, picking out a treat at the store, or going out for ice cream. They get excited when they are close to a reward spot, and if they start to get huffy, I remind them of the choice they are making, and how it will affect their game board, and usually that stops the fit right in its tracks. So nice!

I'm a huge fan of chore charts. There are lots of different types of chore charts and even more ways to reward. I know we will have to change up our chore chart and reward system in a few months to keep things interesting, but I wish we had done this months before!

I made my own chore chart with excel. It's just a basic grid with days of the week on the top and the chores listed down the sides.

Here are some links to chore charts online and the game board:

This website offers charts for chores, behavior, potty training, and age specific chore charts!
http://www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/chorecharts4-10.htm

This site is similar to the one above, but has a "honey-do" chart - me likey!
http://successfulfamilychores.com/Chore_Charts/

This site is a little more specific about charts. It has a chore chart for each room in the house! It won't work for my kids (yet) but would be awesome for older kids and (I hate to say it) me.
http://www.chartjungle.com/chores.html

Here is the site I got the game board from (thanks Kelli for sharing it with me - it's a life saver!). There are lots of themes to choose from and can be totally personalized:
http://www.toolsforeducators.com/boardgames/

Here's to saving my sanity!