I am not a crafty person but desperate times call for desperate measures and that is precisely where I found myself this past week, scouring the internet for charts- Morning Routines, Bedtime Routines, Chores, Allowance and Behavior were the topics I was interested in; however I could not find a system that incorporated it all.  So I made my own.

My eldest is 5 1/2 now (don’t you ever forget that 1/2), and is highly interested in earning money.  I want to teach her how to earn money by working and yet I don’t want the EXTRA WORK of managing it.  I would also like a way to remember the nine steps we do every morning before school, but want her to be accountable for following them.  Finally, I want her to recognize that she can lose her money by being disrespectful- impatience, talking back, etc.

Introducing The New Leaf Parenting Accountability System.  It includes the following:

1.  Morning Routine Chart- I saw this months ago while scrolling my Facebook Newsfeed but found step-by-step instructions in this blog post: Chore Chart Tutorial I used her concept but adapted the routine to meet our family’s needs. 
2. Allowance Chore Chart- I found this custom, handmade Allowance Chore chart on Amazon but wasn’t crazy about using the days of the week to track progress:   Allowance Chore Chart for Kids with Movable Chores and Coins  This same seller offers another chart that I really liked the concept of, found here: Kids Goal Reward chart use for Behaviors, Chores, Homework, Reading, Potty Training  So instead of purchasing these, I chose to combine them and create my own.

First, I created a chart to illustrate the value of each chore, e.g. 1 pinecone picked up = 1 penny, 1 completed morning chart = 1 dime, etc.  

Once the kids complete a chore, on their own time or when I ask them, they find the corresponding coin to place on their homemade, laminated Reward Chart.  

This is also where they have the opportunity to lose coins.  My eldest does not like to take “No” for an answer and enjoys repeatedly asking the same question in different tones to try and convince me to say “yes”.  This drives me crazy, so now I will take away a coin if she doesn’t accept my “No”.

Once the chart is full of coins, they can turn it in for real money, which is where the final piece comes in:

3)  The Save, Spend, Share portion.  I found this Moonjar Classic Moneybox on Amazon, along with the corresponding storybook.   It teaches children money management at an early age.  Genius!

 

 

 

 

 

A few additional notes:

•  I like to offer something for a penny because it provides the opportunity to fill up the chart faster, which makes them more motivated to continue filling it.
• One the chart is full and turned in for money, just start fresh.  It can happen once, twice or three times a week or month depending on how motivated the kiddos are.
• You can make a bedroom routine similar to the morning routine!
• This is an excellent way to teach children the value of coins and how to make $1.00 in change.
• Because of the velcro, you can change the chores depending on seasons/needs.

Please feel free to use these ideas, giving credit where credit is due, to create your own Accountability System that is tailored to suit your family’s needs!

If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for improvement, or would like to contact me to create a custom system for you, please use the form below!