Recently, my friend posted an entry on her blog about a wonderful online job chart. We like it so much that I wanted to share it on my blog as well. I think I've mentioned on this blog in the past that I've always had some sort of job chart for my kids in various formats. When the kids were all very young, 2 or so, the job chart was made of pictures of my kids doing the jobs velcroed to a poster board that they take off when they are done and put in an envelop on the back of the poster. Then they graduated to just pictures of various jobs that can be removed once completed.

As they got a little older, I listed the job with words and pictures (for non-readers) on card stock and laminated (with packing tape or clear contact paper) and the kids would check off with dry erase marker when finished.

One of our favorite formats for job charts is jobs written on 3x5 cards with pictures, stored in a card file box and when the job is completed they move the card behind the stack of cards. The cards also tell the kids when they are to do the jobs by having a sun or moon on them for morning or night and there are different jobs for different days.

All of these job charts have been tied to some kind of reward for getting the work done (i.e. tokens or points that can be cashed in for an item or activity they want to purchase.) With this online job chart found
here, I don't have to remember what day the kids do what chore or activity and I don't have to try to remember to pay them tokens or points for getting their jobs done. After the initial set up, all of that information is stored for you.
The parent enters the chores their children need to accomplish (it's divided into morning and evening chores), selects the frequency for those tasks, and then sets point values to those tasks.

The children sign into their own profile where they can check off their tasks and watch their point tally rise. When they get all their jobs done for morning or night, they get lots of cheers and clapping. There's a space for me to leave a note to any of my kids and it will show up in their profile when they log on.

They can also "cash in" their points for various rewards that you (the parent) have set. The site has some suggestions but gives you lots of flexibility to create things that work for your family. You receive e-mails or text messages to keep you up-to-date on their progress.

There's even an option to print out your job charts each week so there's a visual reminder. I also include routine activities like play dates and preschool so the kids know other activities they are doing each day. Now my kids are so excited about doing their jobs and are motivated by the rewards that are in place. What a great tool to teach our kids to work. Hope you find it as useful as we have.
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