CHIPS AHOY!

The U.S. Pannell Rules & Regulations

CHORE SYSTEM Each child has a set of cards with their designated chores for the day hanging on their chore board. They are responsible for the completion of their own chores during the appropriate time (color-coded into morning,-yellow; afternoon-red; evening-blue).

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CHORE CHIPS: If chores are completed on a timely basis and with good effort, they are rewarded one chore chip for each set of colors completed. Yellow chores = 1 chore chip, Red Chores = 1 Chore Chip, Blue chores = 1 chore chip

*All chores MUST BE COMPLETED prior to play. Our family rule is: We work BEFORE we play!*

And because of my OCD, all of my children are color coded, which translates to…each child having his/her own chore chips in their designated colors!!!

CHORE BOARDS: My children’s first chore boards – just a piece of trim wood that was recycled off of the built-in hutch in our kitchen/dining room. There are 5 nails across – START, FINISH, CHORE CHIPS, SPECIAL DATES, HELPING HANDS.  They are all hanging in the hallway (our communication station – which includes our big calendar, our family meal/event planning white-board calendar, and any other important event info or family home evening thoughts)

START – where the chore cards for the day are before they are completed (yellow, red, blue: in varied lengths)

FINISH – where the chore cards are moved to once they are completed (must complete all of one color before advancing)

CHORE CHIPS – where they place all of their rewards (chore chips, fun freebies, bonus bucks, and privilege passes)

SPECIAL DATE – where their “heart card” resides and accumulates stickers if they complete all 3 sets of chores in one day

HELPING HANDS – where their “bonus buck” chore cards reside (weekly chores to clean and bless our home)

This is an example of Bryson’s current job responsibilities (during school months)

Morning Chores

Bryson’s current afternoon chores (after school to-do list and I love the potty one, because it has prevented a few accidents, caused by kids in too much of a hurry to complete tasks, etc, that they forget to do that – the bus ride home can be lengthy!)

AFTERNOON CHORES

Bryson’s EVENING CHORES (this is after-dinner). Once they complete the blue chores, when they get to the “free choice” card, they can spend their extra free time on whatever they choose.

Once “free choice” time is over, the following blue chores have to be completed in order to earn a chore chip for evening chores.

SPECIAL DATE CARD: On each chore board is a “special date” card in the shape of a heart. When a child completes all three colors of chores (morning, afternoon, and evening) and earns all three chore chips for the day, they are rewarded a sticker on their “special date card”. Once the card is full (10 stickers), the child gets to choose a date with mom or dad, ALONE, for approximately one hour, sometimes longer. This is a special treat, as it is ONE-ON-ONE time, with our un-divided attention for an extended period of time!!!

CHORE CHIPS: This is the REWARD spot, where they put all of the things they have earned. They have the opportunity to earn CHORE CHIPS, FUN FREEBIES, BONUS BUCKS, and the PRIVILEGE PASS.

REWARDS

CHORE CHIPS: Are earned by completing a set of designated chores for a certain time. The value of a Chore Chip is 10 minutes of an activity of choice, or a DIME (it is up to them to decide how they want to spend their chore chips – children are all motivated differently, so the option to choose is much appreciated, although they most often spend them in time, rather than money)

FUN FREEBIES: If you catch a child doing random acts of kindness (a.k.a. SERVICE), you can reward them with a “Fun Freebie”, This has increased their awareness of serving each other, without being asked! The value of a Fun Freebie can be exchanged for a quarter or for TWO chore chips (it is up to them to decide), but is twice the value of a chore chip. Hence, we are trying to teach them that although it is great and rewarding to complete the responsibilities that are required of you, it is greater to go the extra mile and do something for someone else! They love these rewards!

BONUS BUCKS: Are earned by completing a detailed list to clean/organize one room in our home. The value of a Bonus Buck is just that – a buck. This is a greatly weekly activity and a chance for the children to earn some extra money to buy the things that they desire (books from a book order, treats or toys from the store, or half of the cost of a birthday gift if they choose to go to a birthday party that they have been invited to). It also helps me out and gives me a lot less cleaning to do by myself. With help, even a four-year-old can clean a bathroom, vacuum, and do laundry. It may not be quite to my standard sometimes, but I know that they are learning and trying, and as long as they are trying to do their best, that is what counts for me! So… 10 Chore Chips or 4 Fun Freebies equal One Bonus Buck.

PRIVILEGE PASS: This is the most coveted of all of the rewards! The value of the Privilege Pass is 20 chore chips, which will buy them anything that is on the Spending List – the most expensive thing being a date with mom or dad (20 chips and 3 hours of one-on-one time with a parent) or even the treasure box (15 chips) with 5 chips to spare on their board. The Privilege Pass is rewarded for EXCEPTIONAL BEHAVIOR! If there are negative behaviors brewing within a child and they make a drastic, positive change, I reward them with this. If they are giving 110% and going the extra mile to accomplish their responsibilities and help everyone out, then I reward this as well.

Now, like every new thing…after a while, it loses its newness and things become ordinary. For the most part, the kids have enjoyed this accountability system. When they come to me and ask for something – a treat, to skip naptime, to watch tv, to play on the computer, etc, I no longer have to be the one that is always saying “no”…instead, I say, “Yes, you sure can, once you pay me a chore chip(s).” It has shifted the power of their rewards/consequences into their hands and gives them the opportunity to make choices and be accountable for their actions.

We have, however, had to implement a few consequences, simply because they were getting pretty good at completing their chores, but were violating other rules in our home. I am not a fan of spanking or raising my voice, yet found myself threatening to do the first and definitely doing the second! Thus, the need for continually evolving the system. In order to correct some bad behaviors, I had to implement the “violation” system. Because their father is in law enforcement, we have had many discussions about the consequences that people pay when they make bad choices, or break the rules. And in doing so, often have to pay a fine involved with the correction of the broken rule and as a result of the bad choice. Likewise, we have developed fines, or “violations” for breaking the rules in our home.

VIOLATIONS: These are given if the children violate the rules of our home. When a Violation is given, the child’s chore board is frozen from spending chips, until the debt is paid, which is ONE Chore Chip.

Parking Violation: “Everything has a home” – if they park their personal belongings in a place other than where it belongs, they get a warning, and if it doesn’t get promptly placed in the correct location, they get a violation

Littering Violation: “Clean up after yourself” – if they leave their dishes, food, or wrappers anywhere, but where they should be, they get a warning, and if it doesn’t get promptly placed in the correct location, they get a violation

Physical Violation: “Keep your hands to yourself” – if they are physically hurting someone else or using unwanted contact (within reason), they get a violation (no warnings given, as they should know this by now)

Verbal Violation: “Speak kind words” – if they speak in a yelling or unkind tone, or say unkind words, back-talking, or name-calling, they get a violation (no warnings given, as they should know this by now)

Listening Violation: “Do it the first time” – if they are given an assignment or instructions, they need to promptly act the first time they are asked, if you have to ask them more than twice, they get a violation

Sharing Violation: “The Golden Rule” – if they have something that belongs to the family and they choose not to share it, they get a warning, and if they still choose to be selfish after the allotted “sharing time”, they get a violation

Speeding Violation: “Do your best” – if they are doing their chores only half-way or not their best job (short-cutting), they get a violation (no warnings given, as they know what is expected of them to be the correct way to do it)

Conduct Violation: “You get what you get & you don’t throw a fit” – if someone throws a fit, pity party, or tantrum, they get a violation (no warnings given, as they know what communication skills need to be used)

Buddy Violation: “Love one another & serve one another” – if they are not helping take care of their buddy, they get a warning, and then a violation if the neglect continues (within reason)

The violations are all color-coded as well, so there is no mistake (or misplacing) a violation to another board to avoid payment.

The Violation Part has greatly added to the whole system. It has reigned in the children’s efforts, increased the level of respect, peace, and harmony in our home, and saved me a lot of yelling and spanking threats. And I have taken it one step further… if my children catch me or their father doing any of these things (breaking the rules of our home), the child who catches us and calls us out on it, we OWE a chore chip to. Oh man, it didn’t take long before I really curtailed my yelling and saying the words, “stupid” and “butt” (both prohibited from our home, but frequent in my language, unfortunately). It has definitely cost me, but has changed our home for the better…that way, we are all accountable for our actions and choices!

HELPER OF THE DAY - There are an extra set of chore cards on the helper of the day’s board to remind them of the things they do that day – if they complete each color of chores, they can earn extra chore chips for each set of colors completed (yellow chores – morning = 1 chore chip, orange chores: mid-morning = 1 chore chip, red chores: noon = 1 chore chip, purple chores: afternoon = 1 chore chip, blue chores: evening = 1 chore chip, green chores: night = 1 chore chip)

We have aimed them to earn chore chips to spend on practical activities that are privileges in our home! With each Chore Chip being the value of 10 minutes of free choice time, the some examples of the activities they spend chips on for free choice time are:

· Watching Television – one hour maximum (6 chore chips) of an electronic device per day is allowed

· Playing the X-Box – one hour maximum (6 chore chips) of an electronic device per day is allowed

· Playing on the Computer – one hour maximum (6 chore chips) of an electronic device per day is allowed

· Crafts – minimum of 2 chore chips (20 min)

· Painting fingers/toes – 1 chore chip for fingernails, 1 chore chip for toe nails

· Riding horses – minimum of 3 chore chips (30 min)

· A small treat or piece of gum – 1 chore chip

· A large treat – 2 chore chips (a candy bar, package of skittles, etc

· No naptime – 6 chore chips (worth one hour)

· Later bedtime – maximum of ½ hour past regular bedtime (3 chore chips max.)

· Long bath, alone – maximum of ½ hour (3 chore chips)

· Watching a movie – approximately 6 chore chips (depending on length of the movie)*

· Friend Play Date – 10 chore chips (approximately 2 hours with a friend, from pick-up to drop-off)

· Treasure Box – 15 chore chips (fun treasures of all sorts: money, toys, candy, etc)

· Parent/Child Date – 20 chore chips (approximately 3 hours of one-on-one time with mom or dad)

*The children are allowed to combine their chore chips together to all enjoy watching a movie together for the allotted time