With five kids and a busy schedule, everyone needs to pitch in around the house. This is how we’ve went from a circus to a routine.

Managing The Household

Cherokee and I expect the kids to do household chores. As the kids started growing up, we felt they could help more around the house.

We tried just assigning chores by telling them what to do each day. How exhausting!

Then we made a checklist with chores. They wrote their name next to the chores they did. This may come as a shock but they all competed to get the “easiest” or “quickest” chores. Not very fair either.

Next came the priority color coded system. Each kid was to pick a red, yellow, and green chore. Red was the most important and needed to be done before yellow or green. If this is starting to sound ridiculous, well, it definitely felt that way. We still had the same problem where they competed to do the least. I don’t blame them, I guess.

In came the white board weekly planner chore chart. It is the product of two frustrated teachers. If I were selling it, I would talk about how the new and improved “Chore Chart 5.0”  features color coordination now with rotating daily tasks to eliminate monotony.

Yeah, it feels a little ridiculous but it has proven to be an effective strategy. It simplifies who is responsible each day without competition or repetition.

Responsibility

Teaching responsibility starts with giving each of our kids specific chores. Those chores are theirs each day. This helps them understand their unique role in keeping the household running smoothly.

We believe it’s not just our house but it’s their home too. The kids should take ownership in it.

It’s not just about helping in the house. Helping with chores as a child will prepare them for adulthood. They will learn good habits for when they’re on their own.

Accountability

To hold them accountable, we use a simple visual system. The weekly planner chore chart isn’t just a list. It’s how we check off what’s done. This allows them to track their own progress and makes it easy for us to see what still needs to be done without nagging.

How It Works

Through a couple iterations, this is what we arrived at:

Every day lists the same chores. The chores are things like feeding the dogs and cats or taking out the trash, recycling, and compost.

The chores are color coded.  Each child knows what they are responsible for each day by finding their color. Weekday chores rotate between kids to beat monotony and encourage accountability. No one will hold you more accountable than your brother or sister when you skipped your chores the day before.

Realistic Expectations

Cherokee and I realize that chores won’t be finished perfectly or some chores won’t be done every day.

Ultimately, it’s more important that the kids try to do their part than to do them perfectly.