Mommys little helper

When Dylan was really little he would ALWAYS help me with cleaning. Well you could almost call it "helping" When I would vaccumn he would sit on it and hold tight, I would wash dishes he would play in the water but he thought he was helping, He had a small broom and dust pan he would "help" clean up a dirt pile (and when he wasn't watching I would redo it.) As he has gotten older he has gotten more chores and expected to do a better job. He unloads the dishwashers putting the dishes on the counter in stacks of what they are (plates on plates, pans on pans...etc) He sorts the laundry (doesn't fold them BC chances are I would refold them) he puts dads clothes in front of daddy's closet, Mommy's clothes in front of moms closet, towels on the toilet lid...etc A couple other chores he is expected to do is set the table, dust, clear the table, sweep the floor, vaccuumn (not riding on it) room is to be tidy, take care of his pets (Duke,Bella, and his turtle).He has always loved to help with chores and he loves being in charge of taking care of his own responsibilities.
      Growing up I never got an allowance and either did my husband, we feel the kids need to learn responsibilities and pitch in without getting paid. However we have decided to teach Dylan how to save money and how to handle money so he gets paid 3 dollars a week. I have to admit its weird to hear him say "Is it pay day yet?" On Friday's he has 3 dollars taped to his chore chart. cha ching.
      Today Dylan told his friend he had to do his chores before he could play and his friend told Dylan he gets 9 dollars a week but he doesn't want to do his chores bc there isn't anything he wants and his grandma sends him money to buy things. Unfortunately for Dylan he doesn't have a choice but to do chores and getting paid is a bonus. :)


Chore Chart:
A calender frame
hooks with sticky backs
In the frame is scrap book paper (I did red to match my kitchen)
Scrap book paper cut into squares with holes is what the chore is on

Everyday he has different kind of chores so the ones I want him to do are faced forward for him to read, the ones he doesn't need to do are flipped over...when he completes his chore he flips the card over
total cost: $7.00

Earning for learning

Every week Dylan has to learn up to 25 sight words/spelling words and takes a test every Friday. This can seem like a LONNNNGGGG process to learn. Dylan and I used to sit down and with a pen I would point at the word I would want him to read over and over AND OVER until he got them. I would hear the typical "awww agaaain?" "When am I going to be done?" and then the negotiating "If I get 5 more right can I be done until tomorrow?"
Bottom line I disliked it as much as he did.
     Dylan's routine is after school he does homework, has some play time, dinner, bath then in bed by 7. I know 7 seems early but he has a tv in his room and he is allowed one movie before bed (its the only tv time he has in a day, and it relaxes him) which puts him to bed about 8-8:30. For a while Mike and I were talking about letting him stay up a little longer because he is almost 7 which gave me an idea.

I sat Dylan down with these cards (in the picture below) and explained to him. "mommy has come up with a plan. On the back of these there are your spelling words for the week"

I continued "there is also a number on the bottom, the number is minutes you can earn if you get these words correct. His "lay down time" is 7 o clock but he can earn to stay up. The clock starts at 7 o clock and he does 10 of these cards an evening that hold up to 5 words. If there are words he struggles with I write them a few times on different cards and give him extra points. The points don't normally add up to more then an hour. When he earns his minutes he can choose in that time he gets what he wants to do however after 8 o clock there is no movie in his room but he can choose to watch a movie in his free time.

The minute I pick him up for school he says "Can we go home and earn minutes?" I feel like a genius. He is thrilled to work on his words, he gets straight A's, and he doesn't mess around. He has to get the words right or he doesn't earn his points which takes away the "I don't know what this one is" He takes his time and gets the job done. Genius I tell ya Genius! : )