Job Chart

So our new job chart works like this: (I got the idea here)

We each have a list of 8 or 9 things that must be done everyday. They are VERY basic. I wanted them to be easy enough that they would actually do them. We each have to make our bed, say prayers, read the scriptures, do homework, brush our teeth, brush and do our hair, practice the piano, and homework. Those last 2 are person-specific. I made sticks for each person for those jobs. Then I made sticks for daily jobs for each of us to draw 2 of, and we don't have to repeat the jobs anytime during that week. Like unloading the dishwasher. Or loading it (the worst job, according the the kids.). Or opening and closing the blinds or wiping the table or bar. Easy jobs that need to be done. But we get to move a stick for it! I LOVE crossing things off lists!! These are the yellow stick jobs. Most of these jobs are done before school every morning. All but (generally) 2 or 3 per person. Not too hard!!

I made a bunch of orange stick jobs that are jobs that need to be done weekly. They are the (little bit!!) more time consuming jobs. And they have 8 of them each week. But they don't have to do them everyday. They don't have to do them all on one day. They just have to do them at SOME point during the week. So when A has a break down because she has "so much homework, I'll never get it done", she doesn't HAVE to do jobs that night. We were basically doing this anyway, but I would write the job on a paper (so we could cross them off when we got done. I told you I like to cross things off!!) on Saturday morning and we work our tails off to get them all done in one day. Now we have all week to do them, and I don't have to keep writing the same jobs for everyone every week. I separate everything so they aren't really that hard of jobs. One person does not have to clean the whole bathroom. I put the toilet on one, sink on one, tub on one, floor on one, and mirror on one. I do have to make sure that the DH or I get the job every once in a while so we know it gets a thorough cleaning every twice-in-a-while!

Then I have a few (more for me and my love of being able to cross things off than anything) red sticks of ones that need to be done on a monthly basis (you know the ones. The ones you dread doing. Like washing the bedding. or dusting baseboards. or cleaning the blinds. or the ceiling fans. not fun jobs, but need to be done!). These jobs I can do (or if the girls want to, I'll not complain a bit!) when I have a few minutes of extra time.

I've decided I'm going to make one more that are blue. These will be our Sunday only jobs. Most of these will be the same as our daily jobs. (Yes, the bed needs to be made every day. And you need to brush your teeth every day. Preferably twice a day. Really.) But I'll include jobs that will bring us closer together and will keep our house calm. Like writing in our journals. We are not very good at that one, but hopefully they will get better!

The sticks all have magnets on them. I had already a magnet board from Sam's Club that we divided into 8 spots for each of us to hang the sticks we are responsible for. The extra spot is for the yellow jobs that are done. Yes, DH, E and I all have sticks. Even the easy ones. Then I hung a basket next to it for the orange sticks and red sticks to go into.

So what is the motivation? Well, at the end of the day, we count up all the yellow sticks and we get to put a bean in a jar for each stick done. At the end of the week (Sunday night) we'll go through the orange sticks and put in one for each orange stick. I'm tempted to make each blue stick worth 2 beans to see if they really will write in their journal. I'm still thinking about that one. When the jar is full, the family will go do something fun together. Like going for ice cream or having a pizza party or something like that. I'm really excited to see if this system works for our family.

And hopefully, we'll always have a clean house. AND (the added benefit) mom won't be the only one doing it!!