Create Chore Lists Kids can do on their own with the Chore Check App! We tried it out to see if we could get our kids to do their chores. Come see how this new chores app for kids did in our family! #ad
Do you struggle with getting your kids to help out around the house? Well, I know I do!
As much as I love my kids to pieces and would really like to say that they’re super awesome at helping me with daily household chores, they’re not. It’s not that they’re bad kids, it’s just that they don’t fully understand why they should help out. They’re still at the age where they think that it’s Mommy’s job to do everything.
But after last week, I vowed that something has to change. You see, I spent my entire Saturday morning walking around the house picking up a random schlew of stuff. Fidgets, shoes, artwork, stuffed animals – if you can think of it, you was strewn across my house.
But wait a minute. Before you start thinking that my kids are lazy sacks of potatoes, it’s really important for me to say: This Is All My Fault. I am an enabler of this because I’m a work at home Mom who gets my daily steps in by taking breaks and picking up all of their stuff.
But, after Saturday, I knew they had to start pitching in because they’re are beyond old enough. As luck would have it, I also came across ChoreCheck and they wanted me to test drive out their new chores app for kids. I really liked the strength-based, family set-up and that the app helps parents raise responsible, money-smart kids.
Since I’m not really a huge fan of increasing my children’s time online, I wasn’t sure if I would like the app at first. But, I know many of our readers LOVE apps, so I wanted to see if this one lived up to expectations.
I’m proud to report back that: my kids LOVE this app. I’m not kidding. They think it’s a video game or something. They are obsessed with logging in each day to do their chores so that they can check them off. It really empowers them to be in control of their day and releases me from nagging. Plus, they get to watch their allowance money grow and that, in itself, is exciting. Apparently, my son is saving for a lamborghini and my daughter is buying a pony…
With that said, I guess I should break down the pros and cons of this daily chores app for you all.
Why I love this new chores app for kids
1.) You can easily create chore lists kids can do on their own.
I really wanted the kids to be excited about pitching in and helping me out, so I focused on only creating chores that they could do on their own. I didn’t want them to be hollering down the stairs for me to come and help them. That would miss the point completely. I want them to be empowered and to take pride in a job well done. So we focused on stuff that they already should be doing, but weren’t like:
- picking up your toys and putting them away
- practicing your instrument
- unpacking your lunch sack and returning the ice packs to the freezer
- refilling the dogs’ water bowls
- collecting eggs from the chickens
- bouncing on the trampoline (it’s part of their daily cardio task)
- putting away their laundry once I’ve folded it
2.) Both my husband and I (and any other caregiver, like the babysitter) can be set-up as admins or “Family Leaders.”
This is HUGE. By allowing multiple people to be “Family Leaders,” the account can be viewed and changed by all responsible parties. This way, if my husband thinks the kids are ready to do a different type of chore, he can add it and assign a cash value to it. He doesn’t need to ask me to log in and do it for him. Or, if the babysitter notices that they never clean up their snack plates, she can add something in there too. I could also see this as being a huge asset for divorced couples too – each parent could set up the chores that are important to them in their own homes. It’s a really great feature.
3.) Chores are easy to set up and can be customized for each child.
I was nervous that I wouldn’t have a lot of control in creating the chores, but it’s as easy as can be. The app comes with a set of “suggested chores,” but if those don’t work for you, no biggie. You can just create your own.
I also love that I don’t have to assign the same chore to each child. My kids are two years apart and have very different capabilities. My son is older and by default stronger, so he is perfectly capable of taking out the heavy garbage pails down to the curb, my daughter is not…yet. So I can give her something else like sorting the recycling, which keeps her involved in garbage duty but is not unrealistic for her petite stature. As she gets older, she can share garbage pail duty with her brother.
4.) It helps children become more responsible members of their family.
When kids log in, they can see what their chores are for the day and check them off as they’re completed. Plus, they can track their overall progress. I also like that parents can “return” a chore back to the child if it was not done properly. This is very important in teaching your children that a job must be done well and completely in order to earn credit for it. Like my Dad always used to say, “Give it your best or don’t do it at all.”
5.) It helps teach them about the concept of SPEND, SAVE, and GIVE.
Every parent can decide whether or not to assign a monetary value to the chores, but if you do decide to get money involve, the Chore Check app makes it very easy for “Family Leaders” to send payments and distribute their children’s earnings to SPEND, SAVE, and GIVE categories. It’s a great visual tool for parents to raise responsible, money-smart kids!
Note: Although we only tested out the free version, Chore Check Pay (for $9/month) gives families even more cool features. With Chore Check Pay, parents can order a Chore Check Prepaid Mastercard® for each child (up to 3 per family) – the Chore Check Card is a reloadable prepaid debit card for kids to use. It’s super convenient and a great tool for teaching kids to manage the money they’ve earned. Pay your child for a job well done and give them the instant reward of adding to their Chore Check Card balance.
So what do you think about this new daily chores app for kids? Do you think Chore Check could help your family create chore lists kids can do in your home?
Denine
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