It’s funny my Mom, my Heartbeat, says to me the other day on the phone “ I was telling my friend who has an 8yr old the other day about your chore and payment system Pluck and Buck and I told her to Google it for more information-but she couldn’t find it on the search engine?”
That’s because my Heartbeat…I made it up!
Pluck a Buck is a very simple system devised primarily to ensure I personally do not go out of my mind daily. I got so fed up of continuously nagging my kids 24 hrs a day to pick up their wet towels on the floor or clean the empty yogurts containers off the computer desk. I still go insane-but a little bit less insane.
Getting started with Pluck a Buck:
· Make one jar per child and put their name on it
· Make another jar with pluck a buck written on it
· Insert 15 loonies in each child’s jar for the month
· Each time a chore is not done well or not done at all-make them come back and do it (in a calm and friendly tone) and then pluck a dollar from their jar and put it into the plucked jar
· If the kid is not home and you want their wet towel off your bed now-just do it yourself and write a note on a central list that they were plucked. Consider it payment for the job you had to do
· At the end of exactly 1 month they get to keep whatever is left (if anything in that jar)
· If there is nothing left at all-they automatically get given an infraction ticket for 2 hrs of continuous labor at any time you ask beyond their regular chores (I tend to save toilet cleaning, dusting off piles of knicknacks, picking up dog doo doo for the neighbors etc.. on this special list)
· For the rest of the month continue to record when they would lose a dollar even if nothing there and when they reach another 15$ you get another 2hrs of free labor for you (at this point I usually run out of chores at our place and so send them for volunteer work at a friends or in the community)
· Since I am a firm believer in teaching kids about money and not completely relating money to chores, I also give each kid another amount per month (equal to their age) that is untouchable. The purpose of this money is so that they learn how to manage money and become responsible tax paying citizens:)
Coming soon in this section 5-12 yrs Guiding them at a later date:
· Chore lists
· Dictees and calculations
· Family dinners
· Technology Rules
· Friendships
· Natural Consequences
· Self Confidence
· Independence
· Essential sports-the 3 S’s (swimming, skiing & sailing)
· Country Cows
· Waking up and routines
· Preparing for the next day
· Consequences
· Socializing with adults
· Sex Talks
· Traditions
· Family Calendar
· And much much more…….!
