8X8

This summer we started a new chore chart. We called it 10x10. 10 chores accomplished by 10AM earned them a sticker on a chart. 10 stickers and they got a lil' somethin'. I saw this idea on a homeschool blog intended for students to complete their daily work and converted it to appropriate chores for my three offspring. Since I only have one reader, I added pictures so my younger two can still understand what they need to finish while learning to read the words associated with the pics.

Once they complete a task, they flip their card until all are flipped backwards. This helps them see how much they've accomplished, while only seeing what remains to be done. When all cards are flipped, they collect them in a stack and hand them to me for the positive reinforcement. The goal is for the ribbons to be empty by 10AM so we can enjoy our day. I can easily walk by the ribbons and see where each child is in the process of finishing their morning chores and nagging hasn't been needed. I simply ask which card they are working on and they are excited to hand me their final product of completed cards.

It worked so well this summer we are continuing this fall and I decided to post it because maybe it will work for you too! With school starting they need to be ready by 8:15AM, so now it's 8x8. Every morning includes 6 essentials to get the kids ready for school along with 2 basic chores that they have all been trained how to do over the summer. Those chores rotate daily so that everyone gets the opportunity to have variety in their routine. While they're at school I re-set the board with afternoon chores and responsibilities and again, there are 8 things to do, this time, by 8PM.

AM Responsibilities include: Wash face, brush teeth, make bed, get dressed, PJ's away and clean room

PM Responsibilities include: School work, straightening front room, reading/listening to a book, room time (rest), PJ's on, brush teeth and dirty clothes away

Chores include: Unloading the dishwasher, the dryer, putting clean

clothes in the bedrooms, dragging out the bedroom hampers, feeding and brushing the dog, cleaning the TV screen, cleaning the french doors, cleaning up the back yard, sweeping the back porch, setting and clearing the table, restocking the toilet paper and tissue, wiping the bathroom counters, etc.

The cards get clothespinned together in my hall closet for easy access. And the pictures on top of their ribbons help to keep chore lists straight (and make a cute decoration for my hallway). When company's coming, it's funny to watch them rush for the ribbons as they want bragging rights that their ribbon is empty and they have successfully achieved their goal for that morning/evening. At night I reset the cards for the next morning- and they let me know immediately if I've forgotten to do so!