All summer long my children have been pestering me about ways that they can earn their own money. My 8 year old daughter even set up a rainbow loom bracelet booth in our front yard, rather than a lemonade stand, because she felt the market was already saturated with drink stands and neighbors would be more inclined to buy bracelets. Though that’s not quite how she phrased it. 😉 Personally, I thought she was right and I encouraged her entrepreneurship. She didn’t even give any family discounts and actually charged her own grandmother for a bracelet! Ha!
Hearing both of my kids talk about ways that they could start earning their own money inspired me to create a chore chart system for them. There are some chores in our home that you do just because you’re a member of this family – like clearing the table, helping with lunches, emptying your clothes hamper, cleaning your room, etc. The chores I put on the work-to-earn chart are things that are above and beyond what I expect them to do, but they are tasks that they are fully capable of doing well on their own. They are also tasks that help to lighten my load, so all in all this new system is a win-win!
This board was super easy to put together. I picked up a few supplies at Staples and then raided my craft supplies for some letter stickers and fun patterned paper.
I layered the labels over the paper and then laminated them.
So as you can see the chores as well as how much they’re worth are listed on the cards. The kids can easily pull a chore card to do and put it into their “mailbox”.
Then at the end of every night I add up their total for that day and write it on the white board side.
Friday is payday when they will receive the money they’ve earned for the week in their mailbox. I have them divvy up their earned money into 3 jars – give, save, spend. Friday and Saturday are also their days off, so they’re working a Sunday-Thursday 5 day work week. 😉
So far this new chore chart system is working out really well for us. They are excited to do things like vacuum and sweep!! And they’re learning a lot of important life stuff too.
The chore chart sits right outside the laundry room where it’s easily accessible.
Friday is now their favorite day of the week!
I love your ideas – and your daughter's bracelet selling idea! Very cute! I need to set up something for my kids chores. We are kind of random with ours and sometimes things get neglected!
-Shelley