Accountable Kids

{Or Just Kids}

I was introduced to the Accountable Kids program by my visiting teacher. I knew that yelling my kids out the door every morning to school had to change. I was super stoked to hear about this as it sounded like it went along the lines of Love and Logic. (It is not affiliated with Love and Logic.) So I jumped on the bandwagon and bought a set.


It's basically a chore chart divided into three parts. Morning, Afternoon, and Evening. You assign certain chores for different times of the day, and the kids earn tickets for completing their chores. Then with their tickets they can earn things. Things that they already do. Example: it costs 1 ticket/ per activity to watch t.v., play video games, computer time, play with friends, etc. Because these things are a privilege not a right. Right. I like to up the anti and throw in some bigger ticket items like ice cream 2 tickets, Panda express on Friday night 5 tickets, Dinosaur Museum 20 tickets.

Each chore card has an assigned job and a complete description of how it is to be completed. Once completed the card is flipped over and hung on the finished peg. All of the morning chores are yellow, the afternoon are green, and the evening are blue. I have it set up where they can earn extra tickets for doing extra things like studying for 10 minutes in the morning or reading scriptures with the family. They can also earn money by doing "mom's chores".

Because I didn't want to fork out the money for a chore chart for each of my kids, I bought one and then made my own for my other two boys. I already had some "raffle" tickets, and they work perfectly.
So far it seems to be working and they are actually doing it. This system is designed so that I, as the parent, don't need to yell or remind them of what they need to do. And it works. The hardest part is letting them fail, and not complete a job; and not jumping on them to get it finished. They don't want to do their job or don't do it right, no problem; Darn it, tomorrow you will have to remember to do that so you can earn your tickets tomorrow. (That's why I do the big ticket items to keep them excited and want to do their jobs.)

Although this is designed to make kids accountable {hence the name} they are still just kids.

{"They're just a bunch of dumb kids." quote by Kurt. Translation: kids that are still learning that do dumb things. Kids that are going to do dumb things without thinking, because that's what kids do. A kid being a kid.}

My kids are still learning, as am I as their parent. So far the accountability notch in our household has tightened up. And it's feeling good!