I started this series as a way to dive into some of the frequently asked questions when it comes to our crew and chores. I started by talking about exactly what we do and do not consider chores–what is meaningful work, rather than just busy work. Today I’d like to share a bit about how we use routines around here (as opposed to schedules or charts) for chore assignments and some thoughts on why we don’t change it up more often.

To begin with, there’s lots of cute “chore charts” out there. Cute ideas for magnet boards, popsicle sticks, clothes pins, etc. (I’ve pinned several to my Raising Hard Workers board for my inspiration as well!) If any of those work for your family (particularly if you’re just getting started with chores!) I’m all for it. I love the idea and creativity of them! But I’m not a detail-oriented or Type A personality and neither is anyone in our household, so there’s a definite law of diminishing returns when it comes to what I term “over-organizing” and I find that most of them just aren’t practical for us.

Here’s a couple reasons why we don’t use any type of traditional “chore chart” system…

• They don’t include what we consider real work.
• They’re too complicated. (Rewards, demerits, payments, points, etc.)
• We don’t do allowances or payments–and don’t foresee a time when we would. (Although parenting has taught me to never say never!)
• They take more work on my part to police the system, times 3 for everything.
• Our kiddos do so many chores and such continuous chores that there’s a lot of printing pages or re-writing involved. Weekly check-off style chore charts would have to be printed in multiples of 3 every week.
• Most don’t account for chores done multiple times per day–like feeding and watering in the AM and PM.
• Using routines makes it unnecessary.

I learned about using routines from FlyLady. They work great for our non-Type A household! The key is to break your day into distinct segments and then create a logical workflow that fits in that segment of your day.

For us, we have mornings before school/work, the rest of day, and then evenings after school/work, and finally bedtime. We maintain these general segments throughout the week (including weekends) and throughout the year, although in the summer the actual timing tends to drift an hour or so. We fit our chores into our morning and evening routines rather than have a completely separate chore routine or chore time. They are just part of the flow of our days.

We start a routine by writing down everything that has to happen in that segment of the day, then add a note of who it’s assigned to. Example:

Rise and Shine! (Mornings Before School)

• Get dressed
• Brush teeth
• Brush hair
• Pack lunches
• Pack backpacks
• Eat breakfast
• Feed & water the Chicken house (cowboy)
• Gather eggs (cowboy)
• Wash eggs (momma)
• Feed & water the dog  (speedracer)
• Feed & water the brooder house  (ladybug)
• Move field pen chickens (momma/daddy)
• Feed & water the field pen chickens (cowboy)
• Water the sheep (cowboy)
• Water the cows (ladybug)
• Change loads of laundry (speedracer)
• Unload the dishwasher (speedracer)
• Load the dishwasher (momma/daddy)

Then organize the list in the most efficient order for your family. This can take a little time to get right. We found that the kiddos needed to get dressed before they came downstairs for the day or we ended up spending the whole morning chasing up and down the stairs after someone’s socks, etc. We also found that breakfast should be the last thing we do–it keeps everyone motivated to finish their chores. We also had to think our way through who needed the hose, where, and when, and how to fit inside and outside actions together without everyone having to change shoes and wash up 27 times each morning.

So we get this:

Everyone…

• Get dressed (except for shoes)
• Brush teeth
• Brush hair
• Come downstairs, put on chore boots

Inside…

• Changes loads of laundry (speedracer)
• Unload the dishwasher (as needed, speedracer)
• Feed & water the dog (speedracer)

Outside…

• Move the field pen (momma/daddy) — then we go inside to get the rest of the morning stuff done.
• Feed & water the chicken house, gather eggs (cowboy)
• Feed & water the brooder house (ladybug)
• Water the cows (ladybug)
• Feed & water the field pen (cowboy)
• Water the sheep (cowboy–because now the hose is free from the cows)

Back inside, everyone…

• Wash up
• Change into school shoes
• Pack lunches
• Pack backpacks
• Eat breakfast
• Load the dishwasher

In the evening, we come in and do the reverse. Everyone unpacks, changes into their farm boots, and then we do the same chores. I just write it down one time and post it and we just follow down the list every day. After about a week, it’s just a habit and there’s no need for checking off the list or moving magnets or clothespins or chore cards, etc. And once you’ve got the logical flow worked out, you don’t tend to forget anything.

The key to making it work is consistency. We don’t change the routine very often. Mr. Fix-It and I reassess the routine every April/May and August/September as we transition in and out of the school year–which matches the farm workload adjusting for seasonal changes. In August we know winter feeding is around the corner, so we just draft that into the routine and start doing it when it’s necessary. In April we know we have chicks and field pen chickens coming for the summer, so we draft that into the routine and pick it up when it comes along.

A few things that reinforce the value of long-term assignments for us…

• The kiddos get good at their jobs and become “the expert” in their responsibility. And they like that!
• Less nagging and whining. Everyone know’s what’s expected, general checks on my part keep everything running pretty smoothly.
• These are serious, meaningful jobs that have to be done even when they are “boring.” Consistency reinforces the value of diligence and commitment and a mature outlook on daily work.
• Consistency creates proficiency and proficiency creates efficiency–which means we all get to redeem more time for other things!
• When we are busy (which is pretty much always!) we find that routines are soothing. Unnecessary complications are not. At the end of a long day, the quickest way to a squabble is two tired kiddos both trying to use the hose at the same time or empty the dishwasher at the same time because they forgot about a job switch. We only update our chore assignments two times a year or so, and it never fails that the first week of the new assignments still includes more bickering than usual.

 

Usually, if we’re getting a lot of pushback about a chore or requests for changes, we consider that a heart issue outside of the actual chore routine. I don’t get to stop cooking meals just because I’m tired of doing it every day and think someone else should for a while. That’s a weary heart issue for me, not a job issue. Rather than adjust the whole family routine for an attitude issue, I’ll just step in a take over that chore for a day or two to give a break; come along side the complainer and work together for a week, or just sit down and have a talk. As with everything else around here, we don’t just quit.

Do you have a chore system that you love? This is what works for our household, but it took a while and some tries and failures to find it. The key is figuring out what works with your lifestyle and your crew. What will you stick with and see through?

If you’re looking for some more posts on kids and chores, you might want to check these out (they happen to also be some of our most popular posts!)…

Kids and Chores…What ARE Chores?

Our Kids Top 10 Summer Chores

6 Tips for Raising Hard Workers

5 Tips for Helping Siblings Get Along

Raising Children that are Diligent

Growing a Family (these pictures of my littles doing BIG work just make me tear up every time!)

5 Reasons Why We Set High Standards

Hope you’re enjoying your week so far!