Need Help Getting a Chore System Started

Two things...I love the house fairy...www.housefairy.org. There is a list on there that says at what age which chores are good for the kid. I also use Flylady. www.flylady.net We have alist of chores that the girls and my dh and I do. They are all on the wall. All of them start with make my bed, clean my room, and then they have two other chores on it. My dd who is 2 has pick up my toys in the family room and help mommy with my laundry. She helps me carry it downstaird (usually by riding in the basket but sometimes she will carry some shirts down) and I have her help put the soap in and move them to the dryer. She also wipes off her spot at the table after dinner and I have a small basket on the counter that has the daily rags in it, which she carries down to the luandry room and dumps out and we put the basket back for the next day.
My grandmother used a system I see one of my friends use and it works great for her (and did for my grandmother too) the toys aren't allowed in certain living spaces and when they migrate as they always do, there is one warning to take the toy back to the (toy room in your case) or the toy will be taken away. If not returned to the (toy room) the toy is then put in a bin. They both used different systems for the kid to earn the toy back, but I know in my grandmother's case with 16 kids it was critical for her to be strict on that. There were never toys left out. Even as grandkids we knew where we could play with toys and that grandma meant business. My friend gives her kids one week to earn back the toy by doing extra chores. If not earned back at the end of the week they get donated. My Grandma had a drawer the toys ended up in. I had to pick up all the toys we had played with and put everything away, then she let me get mine back on the condition that if it came out again I wouldn't see it. I didn't leave my toys out at grandma's after that. I was scared to lose it for good. lol.
I'm also working on a picture book for my daughter right now for her chores because I would like to start implementing more routine into her life--so I am making a picture book for her of her daily duties. And some extras. So a picture of her bed made, her picking up her toys, and her night routine of a bath, Jammies, toothbrush and toothpaste, etc. I am hoping it will help us lose some if the fights we have about the routine at night by having her get the book and tell me what we are going to do, help her feel like it is more in her power...(she's 2)
I should probably start implementing my friends toy rule at my house...but I just found out I can't have any more kids so they toys all over during the day are kind of nice for me right now.

http://housekeeping.about.com/cs/cleaning101/a/springclnn... I was surfing for spring cleaning the other day and came across this site it has lots of good tips on chore ideas and involving the whole family and a bunch of different things. I used to use a picture chart of chores for the kids and have them put little star stickers on when they finished and so many stars = a reward. :)

I know that with my 6 kids it is hard to keep things straight but some how we have found a way. The first thing is to find things that they can do like with your oldest and make it a part of her day everyday. The key to doing chores is to make it a part of your routine and something that they have to do all the time. The little ones can put their clothes away pick up toys and things like that. As they get older you just keep those things up and then add things to it. I have found that it takes a period of teaching before they can do the chore on their own. They need to know what you expect them to do when they are doing the chore....so if they are to clean their room what are your expectations for a clean room. Then when they know what to expect, you have to sit with them and remind them what they are to do next for a while and then once they don't need reminding they are able to do it on their own. My kids don't get any rewards for the chores that they do, they are just expected to help clean up because most of the time it is their mess that needs to be cleaned up. Then if you just do a little everyday they won't feel overwhelmed. One thing that I have also done is to make the cleaning of the toys something that happens frequently. The toys are cleaned up before lunch and dinner and no one gets those meals until all the toys are picked up. I really hope that this helps and I know how frustrating life can be with all littles (mine are ranging from 12 to 5 months).
J.

My three year old does not have chores per se, but he loves to help me with whatever I do, and he is my go-to guy for throwing things away. I always hand him things and tell him to throw them away, and sometimes I toss things into the garbage from a few feet away, so he thinks that is fun and tries it himself from where he can make it. He loves to scrub the toilet (I make sure I wash his hands after), and if I vacuum or wash the floor, he likes to do it too. Get extra rags and have your daughter work alongside you.

My son also likes to help put quarters in the machines to do laundry, pour in the soap, push the button, in fact one day he did the whole thing. The other day I handed him quarters and put him on one dryer, and he had all three ready by the time I got the laundry out of the washers.

Don't give your kids a way out of picking up their toys. Let that be the project - and the only project- until it is done. Lots of praise can go a long way on this, and even a little competition, which is inevitable if you praise one child, the other ones will pick up on that.

I'm sure you have learned that you can never have enough bins and boxes for toys. I have 5 18-gallon bins and I printed off pictures I found on the internet of the toys that go inside. My son can have two bins out at a time - one in his room and one downstairs. I switch the bins every few days or so - when I see that the toys are getting thrown around instead of played with. Meanwhile the bin is right there and at the end of the night I can pile the toys in quickly, or have him do it. I keep the other bins out of his reach.

I find my son will only play happily in his room when he has had enough attention, that is why I have toys downstairs. Don't let me fool you - I am in an 800 sq ft apartment with just 2 bedrooms, 2 kids and my husband who is trying to recover from surgery, start a business building clocks, finish his online schooling, and put his 76 Porsche back together. My minivan looks like a traveling storage unit, and last week I had two tires sitting in my front hallway. He has even cut MDF in here, which gave me a terrible rash - apparently I'm allergic to the glue.

In any case, since it is getting warmer, you could also try doing things together outside. I like to take a bin full of warm soapy water outside with my 3 year old and have him help me wash the minivan. He loves it, and it keeps him occupied so he's not messing up the house.

Now is the age too, to start reminding your children to put their shoes away, hang up coats, etc. Since my husband is very good at putting his shoes by the front door, my son is into that too and has no problems when I ask him to do it. His shoes go right next to his dad's, and he even puts my shoes away.

If your kids mess up the couch, same as their room, make them restore it. If I insist, my son can put the couch cushions back the way they were. He can match up the little easter eggs and put them away. He can put the books back on a shelf. I even taught him to clean up his own spills. I don't make threats, I just keep insisting that he does it. He eventually gets sick of the sound of my voice.