I have been doing this parenting gig for over 23 year. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE being a mom, but I am beyond burned out from being the task-master when it comes to chores. I’m just tired of asking if something has been done, following up, all the way down to tallying chore income.
Pinterest perfect image on the left and my life hack system on the right.
I’ve always admired organized people. I admire them from afar, oh and awe at their Pinterest images, and then toss together my own make shift system.
I saw a gorgeous image that did not remotely resemble what I put together in my mudroom. I went for the allure of cold hard cash. The rules are simple in my household. Do two chores of your choice, collect the money, and then you can turn on the TV.
There isn’t a whole lot of down time in my household. We all keep busy. My girls are not only great students, but they are dedicated dancers. They manage their own schedule when it comes to school and dance and they do a great job. The last thing anyone wants to do after a long day is chores, but reality has to win when it comes to chores.
My goal is to give them the freedom to make as much money as they are willing to work for, keep my house relatively clean without a housekeeper, and take some of the actual work of chores off my plate and the unpleasantness of being a task-master.
I’d love it if my mudroom chores-o-matic chart was Pinterest-worthy picture perfect, but I’d much prefer a functioning hands-off system. If I never have to ask whose turn it is to wash the dishes ever again I will be satisfied with the system. When my kids ask for some extra money to go out with friends I can refer them to the chores-o-matic where earnings are instant and extra money is abundant.
How about you – do you have a system that works for your family?
I love this idea. No organized system in my house which really burns me out at times.
We have tried several systems – this one seems to work the best so far.
Such a good idea…do you think it works on husbands, too? 🙂
LOL.
Brilliant! I just today had to sit my 16 year old son down and let him know that he is not earning is allowance as of late – the constant reminding him to do his chores is making me nuts. I am going to implement your system and once he sees hard cold cash it ought to turn him about. He is a 4.0, AP student so I tend to cut him too much slack and do the work around here alone (Im a single mom) but I am tired.
Exactly – it is the reminding part that drives me nuts. When mine slack then the bank-of-mom closes down and I point to the cold hard cash just waiting to be earned.
Yeah, our system is that I do it all 🙁
The “I do it all” system was burning me out. The nag them to do their chores was burning me out too. This seems to be helping.
Very creative Kayla, since some of the kids have moved back home, I may have to do this, But change it up for food, etc.
Great idea!
Love it ! I am going to try this out!
It has been very helpful for us. Just yesterday my daughter wanted me to buy her something — I pointed to all the cash hanging on the freezer door as her solution.