Anthony really want’s the new LEGO Harry Potter 
For a VIDEO game.
Ridiculous if you ask me.
But this isn’t for me. It’s for my son who’s world will come to an end if he doesn’t get this game. Really. Just ask him.
I made the suggestion to him that perhaps he could earn it. Of course, then he asks me “how?”
So, now I ask you: How?
Anthony has never really had a chore chart or reward system. I’ve thought about implementing one, but just haven’t. I’m thinking that with summer laziness upon us and this new game taunting him…maybe now is the time.
Tell me. What kind of system works for you? I’ve gone online and found several sites that offer free reward charts. I’m just not sure what kind of chores are appropriate for a five year old. Also, do I need to take into account his ADHD? If you have a child with ADHD, do chore charts and reward systems work for you? I’ve heard it can be helpful.
For a specific reward or goal, would you do a weeks worth of certain chores? Does that sound reasonable? Or, perhaps this is a good time to implement a weekly allowance and let him save up?
Sheesh. So many questions I have for you! HELP!
I haven’t started anything like this with my 5 year old yet, but when I was a kid, I had a list of chores and earned a certain amount of money for each one. (things like cleaning my own room were required and not paid….this was for stuff like vacuuming the living room, dusting the furniture, etc…). If I remember correctly, I could max out at $10 or $12 a week if I did everything on the list. The only problem I can see with giving him the ability to earn something so valuable quickly is that he may begin think he should earn that amount of money every week (or every other week or whatever), which is gonna start to get awfully expensive
My daughter has a chore chart with a spinner. She spins for the chore she does. Because she is young, I help her. This is a good time to start teaching our children. By doing the chore with them, we spend quality time together. I don’t expect her to be able to do a perfect job, but I do expect her to try and do her best. With my help.
My kids have the Accountable Kids system. It’s cards that they have to do with each chore per card. When they’ve finished up the full day of cards they get a sticker. When they fill up their sticker card (I think it’s 10 stars) they get a date with mommy or daddy, alone. Also if they do extra chores (water plants, bring in garbage, recycling, etc) they get a money card. Each money card is worth .50 here. There’s a catch, though! (you’ll probably think we’re mean parents here…) We add up the money they earned for the week and then they have to pay 20% to savings, 10% to church and 10% to family taxes. The rest of the money they can spend however they want. (The family taxes we save up to do something fun like a pizza night or something.)
My mom did so many different systems but the one that worked best for me was earning money and then I chose how to spend it. Really I think that putting a price on smaller tasks around the house (ones he won’t loose focus on too easily with his ADHD) helps him learn the value of hard work and how in the real world you earn money and spend it.
You could break it down by “pick up all toys in the living room” for 50 cents a day then another task could be “take out trash” for $1 (sorry I think that one gets more LOL) Make sense? Make a chart with the task and his earnings on it then when he reaches the total amount of the game he can buy it or he can save up for something bigger – his choice!
I think two weeks worth of chores, a few every day except on weekends, would be reasonable way to earn that game. I’m thinking he could help with loading/unloading the washer and dryer, folding clothes, sweeping or vacuuming floors, dusting, that kind of thing. I don’t think kids should get rewards for things they should be doing anyway, like keeping their room clean, but that’s just me. Also, have you thought about getting the game used and therefor cheaper? I have always had good luck at Gamestop/EB games with used games; they come with a guarantee. Oh, and implement the “No whining about the game or doing the chores rule” from the beginning!
I stopped paying full price for video games for my son a few years ago. At $50 to $60 a piece it was getting way out of hand! I agree with the other woman about buying them used at Game Stop or Blockbuster. My son will “beat” the game after a day or two and then get bored and want to sell it back t o the store (for half of the price u paid!) to get another game. I didn’t like losing money like that so I refuse to pay full price now. But we have done some sneaky stuff – we’ve sold the used games back to a different store than who we bought it from and told them it was new and we would get more money back for the game than we paid for it!! But the game has to be in good shape to get a good trade amount for it. Just a thought…