I wanted to come up with a system that would really teach my girls, inspire them, and yes, quite honestly, help mom and dad out;). And the system I came up with accomplishes all that and SO much more. I was inspired by my credit card reward system, haha;) SO, here's my system:
The Rules:
1. there is a maximum earning of 20 points per day, to split between the girls
2. if there is any fighting or arguing or talking back, the parents reserve the right to deduct 5 points per every offense...there will be one warning (opportunity to correct the behavior)
3. at the end of the month they may choose a reward and/or carry over any remaining points
4. if they both want to do the same chore, then mom or dad will draw a name for the winner
5. the girls can mutually agree to split a chore, in which they will split the points for the respective chore
6. "payday" is on the last of the month; a maximum of 620 points may be earned between the girls; they may choose a reward and/or carry over the remaining months.
The Monthly Chart:
The girls will be responsible for filling in the grids, as applicable, on their monthly points'-earned chart. At the end of the month, I will add up the total points earned for each daughter, and input it into a "fancy" Excel spreadsheet that I created, ( with formulas) so we can keep a running tally of: points earned, points used, points lost, and remaining balance. They will be able to see, at a glance, what they've earned. Then they can make their decisions at the end of each month:
Now this is where it gets REALLY fun.....seriously! the girls are actually not only genuinely excited about this whole process, but they are BOTH seriously on-board....(including an aforementioned child who was previously less than enthusiastic about doing ANY type of activity which resembled an, ahem, "chore." :D )
As the month goes along, it will be exciting AND motivating to watch their respective points' accounts build! But at the END of the month, comes the real reward for all of their hard-earned work.....their decision! Each daughter will have the opportunity to decide what to do with her total available points: spend it or save it! including spend part of it, save the rest....(remind you of anything...you know, corporate vacations, credit card rewards programs? you get the picture). Well, it's exiting for adults to earn, and it's exciting for the kiddos too!
This is how we layed it out:
POINTS EARNED FOR EACH CHORE, DAILY (there are comments as well, which expand the definition of what is expected to earn the point):
and now (drum roll please..........)
THE REWARDS PROGRAM:
(which I thought was very fair....and fun!....and the girls agree, in fact they are very excited, to say the least;)
The way I've drawn up the program (and it is subject to change, this is what I came up with in my momentary genius, you know, today:), is layed out with a 2-2.5 year earning and reward potential, for a really conservative spender:)
Do you see the sheer genius in all of this? Do you see how much a plan like this potentially solves and resolves so much, yet is win-win for everybody involved?
This is what I see as the amazing potential? (and this is already happening in our household!)
TWO GIRLS WHO:
1. are excited about their job and earning potential
2. are given the opportunity to choose, on a daily basis, without be forced to do a single chore
3. suddenly WANT to do chores, and are enthusiastically doing their chosen jobs
4. being rewarded for their hard work
5. have an ongoing, real-life math-application, where they see the true value of why we "do math." Story problems, formulas, addition, subtration, credits and debits, planning, etc)
6. are learning first-hand the difference between spending for immediate gratification versus being disciplined and saving for a future goal. (*note, one daughter is already doing the long-term math to see if she could put enough cash away to buy a car when she's 18:) This is a VERY valuable experience for them!
7. are finding the value in team-work, by working together to share some of the tasks
8. are learning valuable life-skills and independence
AND: one mom and dad who have some of the slack taken off them, with child labor, haha;) Do you see the beauty in all this? ;)
This is only day one, but I am very confident that this program I developed will work long-term for us. The girls aren't being "forced" to do a single chore....no chore, no points! But, the girls suddenly not only have a job, and the freedom to do it, but they are finding joy in it, because there is joy in the rewards and the potential:) When they finish a chosen task, they come to me with a smile, and write their initials in the appropriate grid, feeling a big sense of accomplishment!
And mommy and daddy will be "yelling" a whole lot less....ahhhhh, can you hear the peace? That's me, basking in the bliss of sea salt air, ocean breezes, and crashing waves.....ahhhh, sweet freedom:)
Ok, so maybe I'm not to this point yet (besides, it's raining, heavily:) But it's a start, haha:)
Finally, to make this program ever more so sweet, mom and dad will be a lot more disciplined in not giving into those many, many "I want" moments, that every parent hears;)
Win-Win!
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