New charts

We took some time over the weekend to get the new responsibilities and earning money charts organized.  It’s similar to the one we used last year with a few updates.  In September we switched to the Santa Bucks program so the kids could earn money for family Christmas presents but now it’s time to get back into our regular routine.  We’re ready and excited about it.  The charts started this week even though the kids aren’t back to school yet but have lots of time to get everything done each day.  So nice to have a week like this.

The four oldest each have 5 boxes each day…

1. MORNING – wake up on time, get dressed, make bed, eat breakfast, hair, teeth, etc.… with HAPPY ATTITUDE.
2. ZONE – the area of the house they are in charge of each week – it rotates weekly based on what I feel like needs to be focused on.   Right now: Ryan – Living Room.   Katie – Dining room, swept, chairs pushed in, new table cloth on.  Emily – Laundry taken down daily, sorted and a batch started and or switched over.   Megan – entry way and hall way clutter free and swept occasionally. 
3. PIANO – 30 minutes daily.
4. READING – 30 minutes daily.
5. EVENING – Make lunch for the next day, clothes ready, read scriptures, prayers, bed on time with HAPPY ATTITUDE.

If they can finish the entire week with every square filled or with only 1 miss – then they earn their age in dollars. Ryan – $14 Katie $12 Emily $10 Megan $7      If they miss 2 or 3 squares they’ll earn half their age.  If they miss 4 or more they’ll earn 0.    We are also implementing a ‘make up’ list  -- 1/2 hour extra practicing any day to make up for a missed square, etc. to earn back empty squares – but haven’t quite got that all fixed up.  I guess we need to decide by the end of this week.  We really do want them to get all of their things accomplished and for them to receive their earned money.

This ‘earn their age’ idea is new – we didn’t do it this way last year – we’re also switching from:

1. 10% tithing,
2. 50% savings,
3. 40% spending

to:

1. 10% tithing
2. 20% savings
3. 70% spending – with the focus that the kids will be responsible for their clothing -- paying for 50% of all their clothing needs (minus socks and underwear).  This is the Eyre family way and after reading “THE ENTITLEMENT TRAP” we’re adopting it for the next 6 months and will hold our own evaluation on it’s success within our family.  Katie is excited about the switch.  Ryan is not – he’s worried about his savings and feels like he should be putting more in savings… which he can choose to as long as he has enough for any clothing he needs.  He hardly ever spends money – unless it’s for Christmas presents for others.   The kids really don’t earn that much money – a little from babysitting and some for completing all of their responsibilities – but we feel like they need more to learn the lessons of actually managing it.  We’ll see how it goes.