Mom, I need some money

My house is a lot of work. You all know what that's like I'm sure. And to boot I work a full time job, that also includes working some weekends and they are 12 hour shifts.

Between the kids, the dogs, ferrets, and Michael, my house rapidly turns into a pit. I don't blame Michael for not wanting to clean on the weekends that I work, because he's entitled to relax, but weekends are the worst, and for the record, Michael does help around the house and I think I would go crazy if he didn't.

I clean something, and 5 minutes later it's a mess again. 

I go from room to room to room to room and back to the first room to discover it's in disarray. Again. 

It's hard to keep up. And I'm always the only one who seems to see the mess. 

Yet it's always there, and very rarely is it my mess. 

It's time for a change. 

I ask the boys to do things around the house, but they rarely follow through, and Brian has been asking for a chore list for quite a while, but that usually lasts a few weeks and then he's all set, until he runs out of money.

I have stopped buying the boys anything unless it's for a birthday, Christmas or a special occasion, and they only time they have money is when the tooth fairy pays a visit or they help around the house, but they seem to want something for nothing. Not anymore!

I scoured the Internet for different ideas that the kids and Michael & I could maintain.

This time I was determined to find something that would work for us.

So I put together a Kids Choice financial reward system. 

The intent for this system, is for the kids to be able to earn some money, by choosing how they do it. 

So now the kids have the opportunity to make and save their own money. 

I bought 2 packages of the Large Metal Rim Tags.

I bought, some push pins, and a cork board.

I wrote each chore on a tag, and assigned a dollar amount.

You give them chore options. They pick the chores they want to complete.

The kids can pick and choose the chores they want to do. (And they can't each do the same chore, so they have to negotiate with each other if there is conflict. Or it's first come, first serve.)

Once they have completed their chore (after approval from Mom or Dad), they put the tag in their assigned jar.

Friday is payday. On this day we add up what they have accomplished during the past week, and give them their money!

There are some chores that don't need to be done everyday or even weekly, so I just put those tags off to the side, and put them back on the cork board when I need them done.

Some of the chores on the list:
Vacuum the stairs.

Clean your bathroom.

Empty dishwasher.

Feed the dogs.

Vacuum the living room.

Help with dinner.

Take out the trash.

Parent's choice, for those other tasks that come up from time to time.
The possibilities are endless!!

There are certain things I do not believe the kids should be rewarded or paid for, brushing your teeth, combing your hair, picking up dirty clothes to name a few, that should be part of your daily routine.

I hope this works, and I don't hear "mom, I need some money" and most importantly my house stays clean.

I know this.....In My Life there are good ideas and really bad ones, I hope this one stays in the good idea pile!