Yakkity Yak

"Take out the papers and the trash
Or you don't get no spendin' cash
If you don't scrub that kitchen floor
You ain't gonna rock and roll no more
Yakety yak (don't talk back)"

~The Coasters

We love this song in our house-along with the rest of the Stand By Me Soundtrack. Many times "A" will be caught singing the above lyrics. Now that Daddy is gone I know that not only I was going to need more help around the house, but with "A" going to school he may need some spending cash. I put together a chore chart in Excel. The first couple of items are chores he must do simply for living in our house and being a part of the family (pick up toys before bed, brush teeth, fold and put away his own clothes). The second half of the chart has different jobs with money attached to them. The most expensive chores are vacuuming for 75 cents and there are various chores worth less (folding towels-50 cents, feed the dogs-10 cents, get the mail-5 cents, etc). Payday is every Friday after school. It works like this: He doesn't have to do chores worth $ but he must do the chores that are part of being a member of our household. If he does not do those chores he is docked 5 cents each time. At the end we tally it all up. An added bonus is for every large gem he earns and keeps all week he gets an additional 50 cents. You can read more about our behavioral gem system here. Basically big gems are earned for doing items above and beyond. Little gems are earned for being good, being a good listener, etc. Big gems are for doing chores he doesn't have to do without being asked, sharing with brother for no reason, etc.

This weeks chart

The house in amount paid column are ones he must do-as you can see he got 5 cents docked for leaving dishes out.

The bottom half is the chores worth $. It is all visual because he can't read yet.

This is the second week in and it has been a huge hit. The first week he earned $2.20 and then this week he earned $3.60. He is constantly looking to see what chores he needs to do to get $ and gets excited to see the tally marks add up. Now of course my 5 year old does not get $5.80 to spend like crazy! We divide the allowance up three ways. The first is he must put 10% towards a charitable cause. We did research of different things he could do: make care bags for homeless people, soccer balls for third world kiddos through UNICEF, books for kiddos from World Vision, and then we hit the idea that got him super excited. He has decided to save up for a flock of chicks through Heifer International. The chickens will got to a family in a third world country. The eggs provide nourishment and the remaining eggs can be sold at market to provide income. He loved the idea of the chickens so he is saving up for the $20 price tag. Another 40% goes into savings at the bank (I will deposit it every time it reaches $5). Then the remaining 50% is fun money to spend how he wants. He has bought candy (YIKES) and toys. Next week he wants to save for a book fair at school that is coming up. Overall, I am happy with how it has all turned out, and honestly it makes taking care of the house by myself SO much easier.

The chicks "A" is saving up for a family in a 3rd world country

An idea I hope to implement for the three ways to divide allowance from Pinterest.

My current way of organizing the $- a pacifier container (ghetto, I know)

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