The Family Chore Chart is a fantastic yet simple way to get a little bit of help around the home from all members of the clan. If you’re a hard working Mum who goes out to work everyday then comes home and starts cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing, shopping and all the rest of it and with little help from either spouse of the offspring, then here’s what you need to do. Firstly, you want to suggest having one pinned up so that running the household can not only be a little fairer but it will remind the others if they haven’t done their jobs. If, like so many families, a debate starts as to why this is a daft idea, don’t get involved. Just pin a chore chart up in the kitchen and start writing down all of your jobs (you usually being Mom!), and tick them off one at a time as they get done. Don’t say a word to the others, just go about your business ticking off your daily tasks like, preparing and cooking dinner, washing the pots, making the beds, cleaning the room, washing clothes, ad infinitum.
It shouldn’t be long before the other get to see in the written form just what the lady of the house has to do on a daily basis. Guilt should soon have volunteers coming forward with suggestions like, Hey Mum, how about I take the rubbish out for you each morning’, or dad might suggest sweeping the yard so that you can have a little ‘free time’ on the weekends etc. Get the idea? Kids chore charts are fine in some cases, but unless they can see the parent(s) up there too, then they feel hard done by and arguments become inevitable. A family should be a unit where you all pull together. That’s good for relationships at home, and spoiling spouses and running after able bodied kids (especially teens that are more than capable of helping out), doesn’t do anyone any favours in the long term.
