Toddler Chore Chart Test Group

http://dandee-designs.com

Busy morning at the Strange household, but I just want to take a moment to brag about how I've single-handedly restored order to our home in a matter of 3 days.

We've used a toddler chore chart. I designed one that showed pictures for the chores, days of the week, similar to the one here. I put it on the fridge, so that my toddler could move magnets to "check off" the chores she completed for the week.

Not so surprisingly, the days-of-the-week concept didn't quite click. She is only 2, after all. So, I'm already redesigning this to create an idea similar to the second pic, where she can simply "close" a window -- or just simple picture cards of the chores that she can put magnets on. I think this will work much better.

Also, the rewards need to be more frequent than weekly and less significant. She needs a reward each day for filling her chore chart -- maybe she gets to watch a favorite show or chooses what we'll have for dinner.

Anyway, just be assured that I'm running my next post through this toddler trial-and-error system, a "test group" of one, per se. This week, I'll share the original chart I made -- maybe it'll work better for your toddler or an older child, and I'll rework this one for my toddler and share the new one as well.

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blogspot.com/

The good news is that, right now, it's just something to get her to focus on the importance of getting herself dressed (3 days in a row!), brushing her teeth, and contributing to keeping the apartment clean. She knew the expectations first thing this morning and did everything she needed to do.

Still, does she get the idea of the chore chart? Like, really get it on some level? Well, I had my doubts after she first saw it and happily declared that she was going to "win these prizes" for doing chores. The icons I put on the chart must have looked like a carnival-game prize lineup. "And I'll get a new shirt, and a toothbrush, and a soccerball and airplane!!" she exclaimed. The "help with laundry" icon was a shiny new washing machine. "I'll take one of those," I thought.

I explained the details to her, but she feigned ignorance and ran off. Throughout the weekend, she ran to the fridge to move magnets, placing them randomly on the chart on any given day and saying, "And a shirt... and a toothbrush... Mama, can I get that soccer ball?" "No, that's a symbol for a chore, meaning that you've picked up your toys." She ran off again, suddenly losing interest.

On Saturday, she put off getting dressed for so long that I almost entirely gave up on ever leaving the apartment again... for the rest of my life. I imagined myself old and decrepit, frozen in time, sitting on the kitchen floor, holding up a 5T-size dress, a single tear running down my face.

On Sunday morning, my sister-in-law, Auntie Bee, was visiting, and she prompted Ellie to tell her about her chore chart. Elle proudly strutted up to the fridge and said, "Well, if you get dressed, you get a magnet. If you brush teeth, you get a magnet."

"And, what's this soccer ball and plane for?" Bee asked.
"That means that you pick up your toys!" Ellie proudly answered.

"SHE GETS IT!!" I silently screamed. Then I thought, "Was she pretending to not understand for the last 24 hours? Hmm... very mysterious."

This child has officially outsmarted me, but I felt like the winner of that soccer ball on this Monday morning when she got up, got dressed with little pushing from me, brushed teeth, ate breakfast, then went out the door.

Well, she almost made it out the door. She came running to me for one more hug and kiss and to tell me that she was scared to be without me for the day. We've talked about this a lot, and it's led to a lot of conversations about being brave, that it's okay not to be brave (that the day care teacher can call me if she needs me), what the heck we believe God is (easing into the concept of different religions) and how we can meditate and pray to find strength. Maybe that's a lot for a 2-year-old to take in, but I'm trying to make it chore-chart simple.

She's been so clingy with me and even asked me last night if she could "get back in my belly" because she just wanted me to hold her forever. Talk about a heart-melter. I told her I'd miss her smile too much, but the truth is that sometimes I wish she could, too. I'd always know she was with me, safe and happy.

Instead, I sent her out the door with my favorite sweatshirt. I put it over her shoulder, and I told her to hug it any time she missed me, that she could use it as her blanket at rest time. She hugged it all the way down the hallway and went out the door with Mark, off to day care with no tears.

Let Monday begin! Bring on Tuesday!