First, we started allowance for the kids telling them that we won’t buy incidentals for them anymore. No little gifts at the store, bubble gum, etc. It has worked well. Now when they hear the ice cream truck, they go running for their own money. We also require them to save 20% and donate 10%. I take that amount out and keep separately for them until they are ready to choose how to donate (savings goes into their bank accounts).

We also went to a behavioral point system where they can earn 5 points a day for good behavior and cooperation. Morning, School, Homework, General Home, and Bedtime. And of course, extra points can be earned. At the end of the week, they earn an additional allowance of 10 cents for each point they’ve earned.

Then we realized they need to EARN their allowance so we’ve devised a chore chart. Between the chore chart and behavior chart, they can earn the allowance they previously got.

Even though we did this in stages and fumbled through it, I think it helped to first give them the allowance with no ties as they learned to have their own money and not rely on us. Now they have a better understanding of money and are more willing to do chores to earn their allowance.

I’m back here now looking for a way to tie in handipoints. What I find difficult is that we really can’t log in everyday and its how we end up losing interest. I can print out a chart here but I find the charts difficult to set up the way I want them (with sections by room/floor). We’ll see if I can make it work.

Also to select chores, I simply walked through each room in the house and wrote down what it takes to keep it tidy and clean. My 6 year old son is making his bed daily now without assistance! woohoo.

Just join Handipoint. So far I always had trouble keep up with a start chart. After a while not only kids loose interest but we as parent have a hard time to keep up. Something was missing. I find the concept of Handipoint great and hope it will stimulate my kids.
Just tried with my youngest and it seems to work.
I glad I found this site.

I just joined up tonight, and wow…I am so happy I found this site! My son struggles to keep focused on anything for any period of time in the way of chores or regular household activities, as well for me keeping a chore tracker up and running is just to much work to do.

But the online format is very easy to use, I can set how much or how little the chores I want him to do and if it’s to much we can adjust it with ease…

The games and allowing him to buy stuff for his pet cat is awesome incentive to him, and he kept looking saying..this far till my fish tank…so he gets the idea which is a good thing.

Again super glad I found this site, there’s calmness in the household again

Then I read this article and I slapped myself on the head. Duh! It’s up to them! Jess asked for more chores, while Drev is complaining about brushing his teeth. It’s up to them to choose how much is too much.

I’m such a goof. Thanks!

anyhow, it’s a place where you can type in your zipcode and find treasures that people have buried. We have a Garmin watch that tracks GPS and our runs, (because in order to run you need a $350 watch, right?) and it has a software program that will give you the coordinates of the “treasure.” It’s really cool and I’m not explaining it well, but we are looking for the treasures on the weekend, and it’s a lot of fun.

even for me.
-steph