A couple of years ago I was watching Jo Frost on "Supernanny." On the episode she implemented "Fishing for Chores." I called the kids - "Look." At first they did the typical eye roll, "Here goes Mom again..." But while the show was still on I was off to the craft shelf for supplies.
An assembly line began:
I cut out fish. My youngest daughter handed my oldest daughter a paper clip. My youngest son cut the electrical tape to size. My oldest daughter taped the paper clip to the back of each fish. Then they came back to me to write one chore on each fish.
Meanwhile my oldest son was off to make a "fishing" pole from pvc pipe, twine and a button refrigerator magnet.
Samples of chores:
Take out the garbage
Swiffer the floor
Wash the bathroom sink/counter
So the next morning we got up - they were actually excited to fish for chores!
The first couple of weeks I shadowed their chores to show them how to do them then they were on their own.
We still use this system almost three years later.
What it meant for me:
I didn't have to assign out the chores. I didn't have to hear, "It isn't fair... he always..." All because they were the ones fishing.
What it meant for them:
They aren't always thrilled about chores but they still like fishing for them.
I have visual spatial children. Telling them just didn't work effectively. A chart on the wall meant stopping between chores to see what was next then getting distracted. This way the four fish they choose go with them from chore to chore until they send them back to the "pond" bowl for next time.
Have fun fishing!
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