Guest Post: Household Contribution Schedule + Free Printable!

When there’s a job to do … there’s just a job to do!

If there is one life-lesson that I want to teach my kids before they leave my nest it is WORK ETHIC.

I want for them to experience the pride and satisfaction that comes with a job well done. I want for them to have the knowledge and belief that working hard brings pay offs – sometimes these are external rewards but much more often they are warm and fuzzy ones.

This all starts at home.

Work ethic is not always an easy principle for us, as parents, to teach and nor is it a given that kids will readily learn. We do have to try though, don’t we, and at our place organisation and persistence are key strategies.

I try to think of our household as a mini society. It’s a little world within the world and a place that can only function smoothly when each citizen aka family member fulfils their responsibilities. To do this, I have replaced the traditional “chore chart” with an outline of what each family member is expected to contribute to the running of the household. It’s then my hope that the kids will learn that the privileges they enjoy are not God-given rights, but rather the reward resulting from contributing to running of the family.

I’ve attached a sample chart – very similar to the one on display in our kitchen ;) – that shows how our schedule works. I’ve tried to make it very clear that contributing to the functioning of the household is a given and is expected by adults and kids alike.

In keeping it real, I’ll readily admit that we are on draft upteen-thousand of this and as the kids grow, and our household routines alter, I make tweaks and changes where necessary. Sometimes these changes are in consultation with the kids – but nope, not always. I figure they may as well learn now that there will always be times in their lives where they just have to do what they have to do. Whether they like it, or not, sometimes it’s just suck-it-up-time.

When nominating what I expect each child to contribute to the household, there are a number of factors I keep in mind ….

1. Age appropriateness – increasing the number and/or complexity of contributions as the kids grow and mature (and likewise the privileges are upped accordingly)
2. Geared towards success – never so many things to do it’s overwhelming, nor are tasks too difficult
3. Leading by example to ensure I also contribute what I’ve committed to
4. Discussing the expectations to make sure they are clearly communicated and understood
5. Honouring the privileges and rewards and consistently following through with consequences when contributions are not made.

Do your kids chip in and help around the house? Do you have a chore chart or have you just made them aware of what you require them to do? Would love to hear how your household works!

View my sample Household Schedule here.

Download your own Household Schedule here.

Author Note:

Shari Brewer is an educator, writer and the blogger at http://www.familysurvivalcoach.com . It’s a place for exploring a whole range of household and family stuff and topics include – budgeting, reviews, family stories, organisation and more.

Just remember that it’s really about surviving it all!

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