Teaching children how to do their chores responsibly is a neverending struggle and one of the most argued topics on parenting forums. If you have decided to try a chore store to incentivize your family, how you implement it can make all the difference.
Make an Inventory Idea List
Your first step will involve making an inventory idea list with your whole family. Include ideas like wholesale candy, small toys and medium or large items that can involve multiple chores or weeks to earn. The benefit of involving the whole family is that you will have a better idea of which incentives will work with everyone and which ideas you may have that will seem lackluster to the kids.
Make a Chore Chart
You will next want to set a chore chart for each family member, including the parents and older children, to help build teamwork. You can find many chore chart ideas online for every age group and modify them to fit your family. An easy way to get everything done that you need to during a week or month is to list out every chore you can think of before assigning any to specific members. This list will help you see how much needs to be done and divide the chores as evenly as possible across the different age ranges.
Set the Pricing System
It will be challenging to get everyone to agree on how much is earned for every chore and how much each item is worth. You can calculate this system by having one chore equal one item or setting up a play currency system. Remember that cleaning the mirror may be worth a fun-size candy to you but a handful of them to your children, so you may need to negotiate pricing for the incentive to work.
Set Aside Space
You will want a designated space for your family store. You can use a decorative box, a shoe organizer or a spare closet for your shop. The bigger the space, the more incentive you will have to keep it fully stocked, which can lead to more chaos and clutter in your home. You can even get creative and have the kids help make a counter and cash register from cardboard.
Your system will likely struggle for the first few cycles, and adjusting it to fit your family better will keep it from failing. Touching base with your family members on the best and worst parts of the system can help you perfect it. You can even set up a suggestion box by the store to keep track of all the ideas your family will bring you.