{ChOrE ChARt..!}

Have you ever embarked on a craft with a vision and discovered that it wasn't possible? The whole process ends up frustrating and discouraging. Ok....so I felt like kicking this Chore Chart at one point!

Noe came in from the garage and said we had a couple of magnetic boards *IKEA* that we should do something with. He suggested doing our Chore Chart on one of them.
Yep, that is my brilliant man. This is the end product of my madness.......


Originally, I thought with the metal board... we would paint black lines on it with different sections or the chores. As Noe used the acrylic paint on it and masking tape, the paint peeled off with the tape.

Then.....he thought using black spray paint would work. Doing the board the opposite way with the tape, leaving only the lines exposed. Noe did a couple coats and peeled off the tape slowly and the paint peeled off too! So, he spray paint more coats....and the same thing happened.

We couldn't get the paint to stay onto the magnetic board.

Instead of heading to Lowe's again to ask about our dilema, I decided to scrap the whole metal board and black lines look.

Scrapbooking was the way to go. It is more of my element *not to say that I'm an expert at it* just more comfortable with making things work.
By the way if you don't have IKEA near you, I have seen metal boards at most stores. At home improvement stores they also sell metal sheets cut down to any size.

A little Mod Podge to make the Scrapbook paper stick onto the metal. A little bit of ribbon here and there.

A few stickers for the words. Doing the vinyl on my Cricut was difficult to get the letters this small and to not have any of them mess up. After a few tries, stickers were my last sane resort.

A few flowers hot glued together with a button and ribbon accents.

A few clothespins Mod Podged with scrapbook paper to hold pictures of my kids.

A little paint around the edges for the finished look.
I'm not sure about the magnets yet. I made mine really small because I have 4 children that I had to fit onto here. I might end up making some Chores out of Clip Art for my youngest two that can't read. I'll give it some time to see how it works out.

I must say that I'm rather fond of it. I experienced a vast ray of emotions while making this.

I'm glad in the end...!
*

My children have always done chores. I think they just learn to help as they see me cleaning up. As young as 1 year old, they start helping putting laundry in the dirty clothes. We have tried lots and lots of Chore Charts and ways to give out allowances. My son is almost 10, so since he was little we have done the Chore system.

At this moment, each child has many of the same chores. With this chart, I wanted to be able to rotate chores more often such as setting the dinner table and feeding the guinea pig. My kids actually argue over the chores that only 1 person gets to do.

I do not do their chores for them. If there is a special occasion like a birthday...they don't have to do their chores. Either Noe and I might be in the room with the little ones to make sure they get it done. Helping them fold a blanket, and so forth.

They don't get an "allowance" for chores. They have to do their chores. We don't say "if you do your chores you get your allowance." They do their chores, otherwise who has to do them? Me!

Since they are so young they don't really need money. However, every Sunday after church we take them to the store and they get to buy one thing that is around $1. It's their treat. If they choose to save their allowance, we hand them $1. I know this may not sound like alot, but my kids really have everything that they need. Plus, if they are saving for something special like my son was saving for a video game.....we tend to give them money for grades or Student of the Month in order for them to achieve their goals.

Trust me, we have tried so many ways. I have alot of parenting books. This is just what works for us. We all have to work together in order for our home to be successful. I think we all know this and actually have a good time serving each other.