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creatingmaryshome.com

Create a life you love.

July 5, 2012

Chore Sticks: A Child-Friendly Approach To Chores

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I should stop being surprised at the excuses my children come up with for NOT doing work.

– My legs are tired.
– I’m feeling sweaty.
– I just did chores last week.
– I’d rather play Barbies.
– My sister isn’t doing her chores.
– If the world ended tomorrow, would cleaning my room be the last thing you want me to do?

Or, let’s say I convince them to be excited to do chores, because I don’t want them to become completely entitled teenagers and adults. They get off to a great start and then, in a few minutes, I go to check on their progress. That’s when I notice that they managed to get out all the cleaning supplies, wet the wash cloths, drag out the vacuüm, BUT … nothing has actually been cleaned and they are playing with Barbies, like there is no tomorrow.

There comes an age when a child really should be able to complete some chores without constant chaperoning. (Or there is a time in every mother’s life when she deserves a few minutes of peace while her children are off being productive.) I’ve tried lots of approaches over the years (as in every single chart and do-hicky there is), and I have finally landed on one that has worked for almost a year and it still is going strong. I think it works well because it is so flexible and can change over time as needed.

My inspiration for this method was at church – where a lot of good inspiration usually comes. The leaders of the children’s ministry at church use a jar with popsicle sticks to pick participants. They write kids names on the sticks and use a marker to make one of the ends of the stick green. They draw a stick out that has the green end sticking up, give that child a turn, and then put the stick back in the jar with the green side down. When there are no more green ends sticking up, all the sticks are turned back over, re-setting everyone’s chances of being chosen.

Isn’t that a perfect system for kids chores too? I think so!

I put all of my kids chores on over-sized popsicle sticks with cute paper strips glued around one end. This method is totally flexible to the time you have on different days for chores. We were in a routine of doing chores after school, before it was free-play time. During the summer, we do chore sticks before we go to the pool. Throughout the week, have your kids pull a stick out and complete the chores. Whatever sticks are left at the end of the week get finished on Saturday, and then all the chores are re-set each Monday.

I use different color paper on some of my chore sticks for the team chores. Maybe the most obvious thing I’ve ever written: team chores are things all of my kids do together. I give them direction each day on what color stick to pull out, though that isn’t necessary and I don’t think I’ll do that forever.

To see my updated list of chores I have my kids do:

The plan is simple. Simple enough to actually pull off! And we’ve pulled it off for almost a year … SUCCESS!!

What do you think about this way of doing kids chores? Would it work for you?

See my updated version of chore charts.

From my home to yours,
Mary

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Filed Under: Clean, Organize Mary 31 Comments

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Comments

  1. Sonja Bobo says

    July 5, 2012 at 6:08 pm

    I have seen this in action and it really does work. I think it is a great idea. Grandma Bobo 🙂

    Reply
  2. orgmatters says

    July 5, 2012 at 6:16 pm

    Thanks, Mom. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Rebecca says

    July 5, 2012 at 7:24 pm

    I Love this Idea!!! Now to wait until Matthew and baby #3 are old enough to help out…. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Kathie says

    July 10, 2012 at 3:17 pm

    OK, this might just be a lifesaver! I have 5 kids and right now i just write stuff on a board and they do it. It sort of works but I don’t always have time to give a new list of chores each day. Thanks for sharing and I would love for you to link it up to Gettin’ Krafty With It!

    http://kraftykat76.blogspot.com/2012/07/gettin-krafty-with-it.html

    Reply
  5. Mrs. Mordecai says

    July 11, 2012 at 12:11 pm

    This sounds like a great idea! I need some help with my kids and chores—I may have to try this! Thanks.

    Reply
  6. Lauren @mercyINK says

    July 12, 2012 at 8:35 am

    FABULOUS ideas!!! And I had to laugh about the excuses kids come up with… my middle son almost always says that his legs hurt or that they aren’t working when I need him to clean up!

    would LOVE LOVE LOVE for you to come share at http://www.mercyinkblog.com – our Heart&Home link up. Our mommies will love this idea!

    Reply
  7. Jenifer says

    July 12, 2012 at 10:08 pm

    I really like these. I may do this. I’ve already seen this on a friend’s page and I think what you did with the colored papers is great!

    Reply
  8. Jaclyn says

    July 13, 2012 at 4:12 am

    What a great idea! Definitely pinning this for when my daughter is old enough for chores!

    Reply
  9. Allyson @ A Heart for Home says

    July 13, 2012 at 5:53 am

    This is a great idea for helping kids with chores. Thanks for sharing!

    We’d love for you to link up at our Finished Friday blog Party.

    Reply
  10. Tabitha says

    July 22, 2012 at 7:03 pm

    It’s Party Time over at Debt Free Mommy Blog and you are invited! Please come link up anything related to making your space better at http://debtfreemommyblog.blogspot.com/ and mark your calendars for every Making Space Mondays linky party. The fun begins at 9:00 pm tonight. Hope to see you there!

    Reply
  11. Tampa's Best Wedding Photographers says

    January 9, 2013 at 1:06 am

    I’ve spent the last hour going through your blog. Loads of good ideas! Something about January just makes me want to purge and get organized. This was an inspirational evening. PS we’re BYU fans too 🙂

    Reply
  12. Heather says

    July 1, 2013 at 1:28 pm

    Great Idea! I don’t have as many kids as some readers, but three kids (and two parents) in a >1000sf house can create some chaos! Being that there are so many in such a small space, I would hope that it would be as easy to get picked up as it is easy to mess up… I was wrong! I recognized every one of the excuses you listed and I am hoping to try this method and be done with excuses. One question- and forgive me if you’ve explained it elsewhere, I just stumbled on your site today- why do the toothbrushes have to be brought to the kitchen?

    Reply
    • Mary says

      July 5, 2013 at 2:44 pm

      LOL. We wash/ sanitize our toothbrushes every week in the dishwasher. Helps keep sickness at bay!

      Reply
  13. cheryl says

    July 9, 2013 at 2:04 pm

    we have been using chore sticks since january and my 4 kids and my husband and i love them. for the first time our house is clean and everybody knows what we are supposed to do! i found a link on pinterest to a site that has printables to glue onto the sticks, each room a different color, with every chore imaginable. the site is http://www.whateverdeedeewants.com

    Reply
    • Mary says

      July 13, 2013 at 11:05 pm

      Cool! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  14. Erica says

    July 16, 2013 at 1:58 pm

    Hi Mary — Chore sticks are a great idea! We successfully used a similar system when my older child was in elementary school. Now that older child is in middle school, the game-like fun of chores has evaporated. I know your children are younger, but do you (or any of your readers) have any positive ideas for motivating tweens/teens to do chores?

    Reply
    • Mary says

      August 13, 2013 at 1:07 am

      I asked my readers this question on FB for you. Did you get a chance to see the answers? 🙂

      Reply
    • Lori says

      April 24, 2015 at 8:27 am

      Mary, I have a granddaughter that I watch after schools about 3 hours. She is an only child and her parents are divorced. She is 7 and loves to help. I’m thinking of starting this at my house. AND helping her mom make one for their house. The only problem I see is she is back and forth ALOT from Dads to Moms to mine. Should I make them simple chores so she is not overwhelmed and something she can do quickly? She doesn’t have laundry, her room, etc at my house and seldom gets toys out. She usually reads or plays with my puppies. But I feel it a great benefit for her to learn these things now.

      Reply
      • Mary says

        May 6, 2015 at 12:22 am

        I like your thoughts about making them simple, maybe even somewhat enjoyable like watering flowers, etc. Good luck!

        Reply
  15. Leah J says

    July 17, 2013 at 11:36 am

    Thanks for the great idea! My kiddos are still small, but I like that this is quick to put together & easily adjusted 🙂

    Reply
    • Mary says

      August 13, 2013 at 1:06 am

      This system has worked for over 2 years. I hope it will work for you too!

      Reply
  16. caityq says

    December 17, 2013 at 1:17 am

    with 7 colors (1 for everyday of the week) this would be good for roommates. 🙂

    Reply
    • Mary says

      December 17, 2013 at 1:51 pm

      That is a great idea!

      Reply
  17. Elle says

    February 10, 2014 at 6:59 pm

    I LOVE this idea. I am a hoarder and an enabler (by that I mean that I don’t force the children to help as I can get it done more quickly and more perfect if I do it myself).

    I realise that I am raising lazy children who will be disabled by my hoarding and lack of making them motivated/responsible.

    I am currently working on making them empty the car of all their belongings each trip and putting said belongings WHERE THEY BELONG. The message still has to sink in that some people’s belongings DO NOT live just inside the entranceway!

    School shoes go with school bags immediately we get home so we know where they are the next morning in the mad rush (I have four boys aged 6-10 – perhaps now you understand why doing it myself is easier/quicker/saner?)

    After that is a snack and onto homework. First one finished homework gets computer time, but I think that I’ll change it up to first one finished gets to pick from the chore sticks and THEN gets computer time.

    Do you offer your children physical rewards for doing chores Mary?

    Reply
    • Mary says

      February 10, 2014 at 10:03 pm

      Sounds like you are making really positive changes! 🙂

      My kids get to have free time after they finish their responsibilities. They like free time!

      Reply
  18. ErycaTheGreat says

    September 23, 2014 at 9:19 pm

    Hi Mary – I LOVE your idea of chore sticks. I have a few questions – is there just one stick per kid per day? and they only have to pick up their room or art area once per week? i need my kids to do that a few times a week, any ideas how to modify that? I was thinking of one color for each kid, and a few extra sticks? Also, what are the team chores? Thanks for the great ideas!!

    Reply
    • Mary says

      September 25, 2014 at 12:44 am

      It really is flexible to however you want to do it. Team chores are chores my kids need to all do together.

      Reply
      • Clena says

        December 4, 2014 at 12:11 am

        Not just for kids……is helping this 60 year old stay on top of a big house. Move them from one jar to the other so nothing (almost) gets overlooked!

        Reply
        • Mary says

          December 24, 2014 at 1:22 am

          I love this! Yes, the chore sticks know no age limit! 🙂

          Reply
  19. Elaine Jack says

    July 22, 2015 at 5:18 pm

    Great idea – going to get sticks tomorrow!

    Reply
    • Mary says

      July 27, 2015 at 2:37 pm

      I hope your chore sticks turned out well!

      Reply

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