I was wondering if I should set up a chore chart for my 3 yr old. She helps me when we go grocery shopping by trying to find what is on my list. I tell her what I am looking for and she helps me look for it and most of the time she finds it with no trouble. Then helps me put them up when we get home. She is always wanting to help do things around the house and does a pretty good job of it but then sometimes she refuses to do anything that I ask her. So I was wondering if a chore chart might help and how do I set up one? Is she old enough to understand. What should a reward be? Any advice is welcome. I also have a 15 mo and was wondering do I set one up for her to with very simple things to do. Is there a website that could help me with this or if there are any of you that have done this, how did you do it and what worked for you.
Thank you in advance!!!
A big thank you to everyone who responded to my post. I will take into consideration each and every one of the suggestions. I have a few ideas of how I want to set one up.....
Thank you again!!!
here's the chore chart that I posted for my husband to get my sons to help him when he cleans their rooms with them.
http://housekeeping.about.com/od/chorechart1/a/ageapprcho...
If they don't help then they don't get the video they picked out from the library that afternoon.
I'm 27 yrs old married mom of 3 and MA student... 6 yr old girl 5 yr old boy and a 3 yr old girl. I set up a chore list for my 3 children giving the 3 yr old simpler chores to do like pick up toys clothes feeding the cats and as a reward for all of them depending sometimes They get an allowence and other times they get a small toy at Target from the dollar spot. I just added making beds to the chore list and shes doing very well, when the chore is completed they get to pick out a sticker of their choice and place it by that chore for that day. There are so many ways to do it I hope you find one that works for you.
I have a chart set up for my 5 year old, it's not a chore chart but more of a "behavior" chart. I have: Did my chores, went to bed, followed the house rules. And for each one he does he gets a star sticker, so in one day he can earn 3 stars.
For every 5 stars he gets to pick something from the "grab bag"
For the grab bag I did pictures on microsoft word of an special activity he likes for example: go to the park, zoo, rent a movie, and a surprise activity. I cut the pictures out and laminated them.
As far as Chores I did the same thing created pictures in Microsoft art of chores he was able to do. He pulls out 2 chores he has to do that day. I laminated the pictures and put a magnet on the back to stick to the refrig.
I used the website: http://www.dltk-cards.com/chart/ to creat our chart.
I think it really has helped and my son can see how well he's doing too. I think age 3 is a perfect age to do it.
My 3 year old has a chart. It says put away clothes, pick up toys, clean room, take a bath, clear the table. That is what I "require" (for lack of better word) to do each day.I laminated it and instead of using stickers we just use overhead projector markers and draw stars for the chores she completes each day, or a sad face if she didn't do it and she was told to do it. She wipes it clean at the end of the week to start it all over again.
She also helps unloading the dishwasher (she unloads the silverware and puts it away), She picks up cups that were dragged around the house. She puts her dirty laundry in a basket and puts her clean clothes back in the drawers. She wipes down the tables after meals and helps with her little sister by bringing diapers or wipes when asked to do that. She loves to put the groceries away after we go shopping. She takes a pad and a pencil and pretends to make a shopping list when I make one and actually reminds me what we are out of if I forget. I have downloaded PECs that are used for children with autism to print out and let her make her own list using the pictures, but we haven't done that yet. She helps make koolaid or juice (if we get concentrate) by stirring. She puts shoes by the door when I am getting ready to vacuum.
The rewards for my daughter is just seeing how many happy faces or stars (for some reason if she takes a bath she wants a happy face in that square). But we usually do something special, and when we go out shopping she gets to pick out a small item if she has been extra good.
They are easy to make on your own with a posterboard, marker, and ruler. Just make a grid, write the days of the week across the top, and the chores in each column to the left. Kids love stickers, so every time that she does one of her chores, let her pick out the sticker that goes in the box for the specific chore. My kids look forward just to filling up the spaces with cool stickers, and sometimes that is all the motivation they needed to do what they were asked. It's also a modest reward, so that they don't expect something big everytime they do what they are asked to do. I think that 15 months is a bit young to start on chores, but I guess it depends on what you would consider "chores" for her. Most kids that age don't completely understand what adults are talking about, so I don't have any ideas of what to even put on a chart for her. Their attention span is very limited. If you are just wanting her to be included in the "reward" aspect of it, you could make a chart of things she learns/learns to do, and let her put stickers when she learns them (like where her nose is, saying new words, etc.) Your 3 year old, on the other hand, is old enough to understand simple chores, like picking up her toys, putting her dirty clothes in a basket, or even simple things like wiping off the table with a dish rag, things like that. You may consider having a column for stickers when she is "Mommy's Big Helper", like when she helps you at the store as you described. Just a few thoughts that came to mind that might help you get started. Good luck!
Hi K.,
My 2 year old daughter also loves to do whatever she sees me doing. Ever since she was about 18 months old, we have used a reward chart for her. She loves it and loves to put the stickers on it. What you can do is design a simple 7 day chart with about 5 or 6 blank lines down the left side of the chart and the days of the week listed across the top of the chart. Buy some clear contact paper and laminate it. Buy some small reward stickers (any kind will do). You can probably find a stack at the dollar store. You can buy some self-adhesive magnets or just hot glue some on the chart after you laminate it, then place it on your refrigerator. After you laminate it, you can list the chores you would like her to do throughout the day in the blank spaces. I wouldn't expect too much, just simple things like brushing her teeth, taking a bath, picking up toys, etc. You can change these chores as she grows older to make them more age appropriate, but I would avoid changing them frequently so that she is given the opportunity to learn her routine. I praise my daughter when she completes a task and allow her to put a sticker on the chart. She loves it and knows what is expected of her now. When she gets a certain amount of stickers, she gets a trip to the park or if the weather is bad, we have an indoor picnic. You can choose any reward that works for you. With a 3 yr old and a 15 mo old, your hands must always be full. I'm not sure where you live, but if you're looking for a playgroup or just some time with other moms, message me.
I don't have much advice on a chore chart but I did see that you're looking for a playgroup. I just started going to one that I found through yahoo groups. It's lion and the lamb. Our 1st Playdate was this last Wednesday. My two had a lot of fun. It meets Wednesdays at 11am and we meet at different places in the springfield area to play. This coming Wednesday we are meeting at Ritter Springs park for picnic lunches. (Weather permitting! :) Check it out and see what you think. Let me know if you have any questions!
Good luck on the chore chart!
A. R
Your daughters sound wonderful! A great idea is to DRAW the chores next to the word on the chart.
K.:
For a three year old, you would need to keep it very simple. Only pick 2-3 chores, and have her help you draw a picture of it on a chart. Every time she does the "chore", put a sticker on the chart. When she has (for example) five stickers, count to five together, and let her pick something from a "treat bag". When I saw "treat", I do not mean candy. The 15 mo. old is too young for a chart however, not to young to help you out (like putting socks, in a sock drawer). Lots of praise, will be reward enough.
I have a play group that meets one Friday per month (usually the the last Friday of the month), feel free to join us!
A. L
I have a chore chart for my 3-yr old and it works quite well. It has simple tasks on it like make the bed, pick up toys, brush teeth, etc. Ours is by Melissa & Doug. They have more sophisticated ones, but ours is a laminated sheet with reusable stickers. We've decided to teach her about money at the same time. If she completes all of her "chores" for the day, she gets a quarter to put in her piggy bank. She loves the whole process, and I think she really understands it also. I would recommend checking out Melissa & Doug's website.
http://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/melissa_doug/ne...
A chore chart does help. I started one for my daughter when she barely 3, and she responded well to it. I don't have it set up as things she has to do, but as things she can do to earn a sticker of her choice. That way, you use only positive reinforcement to encourage her to take responsibility. On the list I printed up for her are things like put up breakfast dish, get dressed (sometimes she only does the really small things, but it's still enough encouragement to give her a sense of pride to be able to do for herself), clean up toys after playing, hang up clothes, help set the table, brush teeth, clean up spills, etc.
I think the stickers themselves and the recognition of a job well done is reward enough, especially at this age when you want to teach them to take pride in taking care of themselves without an emphasis on entitlement.
I bet if you set your chart up with pictures demonstrating the task, you're 15 month old will pick up on it and enjoy it as well.
I have a five year old and a 20 month old. I ask my five year old for help several times a day, mostly with his things like putting his clothes and toys away or helping me fold laundry. Instead of assigning him chores, I asked him some of his favorite things to do and then I make sure to ask him for help everytime I am doing those things, that way he is learning to help, but it is enjoyable for both of us. If he is especially helpful, I might give him a quarter or a dollar to put in his piggy bank. We will probably start giving him an allowance next year.
My 20 month old is at the age where he loves to help and he just likes to help in order to receive praise. I let him help me get his plastic dishes out of the dishwasher and put them away in a low cabinet and I let him help me put clothes in the washer and dryer and put his toys, books and shoes away. He also likes to "dust" and sweep. When my older son was little, I bought a kid sized broom and now they both love to use it.
I think if you make it fun and offer lots of praise, your kids will want to help without having to acutally do a chore chart.
Good Luck
I think the earlier they learn the better, for the chart you could always get a piece of poster board or something like that and either take pictures w/a camera or cut pics out of a magazine of what the shore is. For rewards for every day she does all her chores she gets a dollar or a sticker then at the end of the week or month then she gets her dollars to spend.
I think your 3yr old seems ready for chores. She can do simple tasks like picking up her toys or putting away her clothes. She can also dust by putting old socks on her hands. I think good rewards for that age would be an extra treat like a cookie, or some extra tv time. Maybe if she's been really a good a special toy. For the 15mo old I'm not so sure. I'm sure if you can find the Super Nanny or Nanny 911 websites they'll have some good suggestions for you.
Hi K.,
I think it's a good idea for both of them. I have 4 children so it's nice when they help mommy put up laundry and try to sweep the floor, my 6 yr boy, likes to help take down the trash to the curb on trash day with his older brother who is 15 yrs old. I would say get a piece of poster board or I know on some computers they have them on their like on windows they have a template for it and you just fill it in. You could start your oldest on things like trying to make her bed at this point it would be a sticker for just making an effort, or putting her dirty clothes in the hamper after she takes them off,cleaning her room or putting her shoes away (ours go behind the front door). Helping you pick up toys just also help setting the table, putting the forks out, getting the ketchup out and putting it on the table things like this. Your youngest could be putting her clothes in the hamper also, picking up toys. I knowone of my favorite things to do when I was a kid was to (it's not so fun now that I'm an adult, lol) DUST my mom would spray pledge on my rag and tell me to go dust she would tell me to start in one area and then continue on. First going off you would show her what to dust and how.
My kids have chores also but there isn't a reward and it's not so much chores nobody has a set "job or chore" it's just what needs done around here and it takes all of us to pull our own weight, pick up after ourselves. Also you could go get those little broom and dust pan sets, I know toys r us has them and get one for each of them or the little wisk broom and a little dust pan so they could sweep. Getting in the "habit " now would be ideal then it's not a struggle later on. Also just picking out their clothes for the next day. hope this gave you some ideas. W.
