Routines, structure and chore charts

As I talked about in my last post, chore charts get used for all kinds of reasons. One of the most common reasons is to better establish a routine or structure for your family's day-to-day schedule.

Some effective ways of doing this are:

• using the chart itself for structure. "3 pm - after school snack, 3.15 pm homework, 4.30 pm sports practice, 6.00 pm dinner, etc."
• using a chart for a schedule over-view. "Mondays - clean bathrooms, Tuesdays - sweep floors, Wednesdays - vacuum, Thursdays - dust and declutter, Fridays - play!"
• using a chart to help establish a specific routine. "Bedtime checklist: 1. put on jammies, 2. brush teeth, 3. put away toys, 4. cuddle time, 5. lights out!"

There are infinite ways to put a good chore chart to work in these ways. Start by thinking about an area of your child's day that could use a little structure. Then print out a chore chart and fill in the blanks. Use it for a week and you'll see where any adjustments need to be made.

Is this the type of chore chart usage you are looking for?