Has anyone got a chores rota/list/whatever for their family that works?

[IvortheEngine]

I was just reading another thread and it made me ask myself why I'm often up until 11pm or later doing jobs (ie housework and stuff) when others (i.e. dh, ds and dd) get several hours a day to themselves. Has anyone cracked it?
TIA

[waterfalls]

I know what you mean, I am often up till 1am, DH works 2 full time jobs and I have 3 kids under 5.

[IvortheEngine]

Right. It's not just me, then. I don't know what's best to do.
A rota - too rigid?
A points system i.e. unloading the dishwasher = 10 points and you have to do 50 points worth a day (this is for nearly teenage kids) - maybe.
A general list on the left hand column with days of the week to the right and people cross off the task by putting their initial in that day's box on the right and if they do x number in the week = a treat of some kind? - maybe.
Hmmm.

[Bink]

We had a rota when I was a teenager (there were four of us children, close together). The deal was that every evening two of us cleared up dinner, and Sunday lunch we took our parents a pot of coffee while all four of us cleared up together. It worked like clockwork (as far as I remember), and incidentally was good for the relationships between us. All four of us (in our 40s now eek) are still rather good at whisking around a kitchen as a team.

I can't remember how early it started, though. And I am sure for the first few months my mum would be surreptitiously rescrubbing the pans. But it was a tangible contribution, and that's what was important. So I'd start with something which (like clearing dinner) is a clear and obvious job to be done, without any element of choice.

[Anchovy]

Bink we had something very similar when I was a child - am also one of 4, 3 of us being painfully (or Catholically!) close together in age. Every night after tea/supper one of us had to clear the table and stack, one wash, one dry and one put away and sweep the floor. If I remember the only debate was who did what (drying was the preferred option IIRC) not why or whether we should. My mother - a teacher - would sit down with a cup of tea and the 6 o'clock news.

DS and DD are 4 and 2 but I expect them to get the mats out at meal times. DS will also put his plate and cutlery in the dishwasher. Ivor I really think it is worth doing this - start drilling it in to them at a young age!

DH honestly does 50% of the domestic tasks as well!

[CountessDracula]

I have a good rota

The cleaner does the cleaning

Whoever is around empties dishwasher

Whoever cooks doesn't have to load dishwasher/clean kitchen (on week nights)

The ironing piles up and is done on a need-to-wear basis until I get fed up and send it off to the ironing people or my mother takes pity on me

[MarsOnLife]

My children get a list of chores to do which include hoovering, loading and unloading the dishwasher, clearing or setting the table, putting away laundry, wiping tables and getting the twins ready.

There is no system, just a set of jobs to do and days on which to do them. I started them young (setting the table etc) and when they complain I simply tell them that we all live here and so all need to chip in.

Even if they moan, I simply ignore them and they do the jobs.

[jessicaandrebeccasmummy]

we have a tick sheet on the wall in the kitchen, with jobs that need to be done every day (washing/drying/dishasher/hoover etc) and we both make sure each box is filled by the end of the day.

We have been doing it for about a month now and it really does work.... all helps to keep the house clean and tidy and i dont end up wasting a weekend doing it all.

[flashingnose]

Bink and Anchovy, I'm also one of four and your childhoods sound just like mine .

[geogteach]

Snap Bink, Anchovy and flashing nose, maybe this is the key, big families so more to share the chores?!

[Bink]

or with so many children (& so much work), make 'em help or burst? I do get ds & dd (6 & 5) to help a bit - by the end of the Christmas holidays they were getting their own breakfast and not bothering us till sometimes 10 or after BUT I'm not very disciplined about it because to be honest the workload of two kids isn't overwhelming

But yes, with our teams-of-two system every other night you got to dance out of the kitchen carefree. I remember that feeling very well.

geogteach, anchovy & flashingnose: I'm interested, do your brothers do that automatic pick-up-a-teatowel-and-pitch-in thing that sisters & female friends do? Mine do, and I think it's to do with the rota training.

[zaphod]

My kids have a rota, for the sitting room, hall, and bathrooms. They tidy, hoover and wash bath and sink(I do the toilet, and a proper clean once a week as well). THey take turns emptying the dishwasher too. It has REALLY made a huge difference to me. THey are also responsible for keeping their rooms tidy, and hoovered.

For this they get an allowance at the end of the week. My dh is one of 8 children and never had to do any housework, the girls did that! However, he is great around the house with both the cooking and cleaning, unlike my brother who had to do both growing up.

[longwaytogo]

mmm interesting thread this. We have 4 kids but only two that can do anything others too little but more often than not they end up not doing the things they have been asked to do. We threaten them, ask and ask and ask them to do stuff but inevetably they either don't do it properly or don't do it at all. They are really good with the babies though. How much should we let them get away with? How much should they do? I struggle to get mine to take their uniforms off let alone do anything else.

[Anchovy]

Bink, erm no - don't think either of my brothers have picked up s tea towel since they left home!

[beachyhead]

Mine don't really have to do much but the 8 year old makes her bed every morning and both have to take their laundry baskets up to their rooms. We have a great laundry system. Once clothes are dries, they are put in each person's basket (forgetting ironing, that just doesn't happen in this house), then each child has to lug their clean clothes upstairs where I will put it away and make sure it is in the right drawer. Other than that they get off pretty scot free, they are only 8 and 4 ( and the baby can't do anything 5 months). DH does the kitchen floor and any hoovering needed between cleaner days and we both pitch in on dishwasher and laundry duty.......

[IvortheEngine]

I'm going to take some ideas from this thread. I'm being far too soft with dh and the kids. In future, starting tonight, dh and one of the kids can load the dishwasher, do any washing up necessary and clear the kitchen of post cooking debris. The kids can take it in turns. I'm from a large family like some of the other posters and I did lots of jobs daily and I didn't need to be asked, I just did them. I'm going to do a list of some kind for the other jobs, too.

Now.......how do I teach them to say "Thank you, that was a lovely meal" without prompting? Hmmm.

[geogteach]

Yes my brother is handier than most in the kitchen

[tensing]

We have a rota system
Points charts, and Pocket Money for chores.

Chores are age appropriate.

Youngest Son 5 lays the table
Youngest Daughter 8 Clears the table
Eldest two 11 and 13 take turns washing up (by hand) and puuting it all away.

[IamBlossom]

From the age of about 8 ne and my sisters (3 of us) had a rota system for making the tea in the morning and the sandwiches for packed lunches. Whoever's turn it was got up, made three rounds of sangers, and tea for the whole family. You were never quite sure what you were going to get in your lunch box, and invariably it was the easiest thing to spread that appeared most commonly but it was a good system, and taught us to pitch in. We also had to keep our rooms tidy and sort our own laundry out. I fuly intend my kids to help with simple chores from a very young age, as i read somewhere else, they all know how to turn the DVD/TV/Playstation on from about the age of 3, why not a dishwasher/washing machine? (with help...)

[tensing]

My daughter 11 sorts the kids washing and puts it on to wash, Son 13 hangs it out and brings it in or tumble dries it. And both do their own ironing.

Also keep own rooms clean, hovered and tidy.
Assissted by younger siblings.