The Amazing Flower Chart

Looking at other people's ideas is a favourite habit of mine, especially when I have a problem to solve. One recent issue was (is and probably ever-will-be) the problem of getting kids to do what they need to do for a smooth running household and a sane mother.

I came across a blog called Pink-a-Doodle-Doo and stole this idea. My girls saw the pictures you see and they made it very clear that a mere star chart wasn't going to cut it.

So I took myself off to Warratah (a florist supply shop).  We had been subjected to HUGE amounts of rain that week, so Hannah really enjoyed looking at the raging rivulet that runs beside the shop.

Well, I found some absolutely gorgeous stuff.  I bought my supplies and eventually (late at night) managed to complete my masterpiece.

The base is a chickenfeed art canvas, covered in some fabric my mother-in-law gave me a few years ago (off-cuts from a linen/manchester factory).  I folded the fabric to make a pocket near the top (if you look hard you can just see it) and I used a staple gun to put it together.  Then I cut up an old cardboard mailing tube and covered the pieces with more Sheridan fabric to make the vases.  Glue guns are great.

The next day the big girls made their own tags out of shrink plastic.  Hannah made one too, but she coloured it too intensly: it was nearly black and unreadable when shrunk.  She made another one, and then liked it so much she wanted to keep it for herself.  I made another when she had gone to bed.

Here is the final product (I have since pegged the lists of morning and evening jobs on the sides, and put suggested reward goals in the pocket).

The top row has a vase for each girl.  I love their colourful tags.

The bottom row has filled vases, each labeled with a tag:

This one is full of Butterflies.  It is for when you are caught doing something especially wonderful.

The last one is for when you are caught doing something truly horrendous

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The flowers and butterflies are worth one point each. The ugly weeds are minus 2 points. These jobs are not for money, they are just basic simple things to do with the nececities of life.  Rewards are open to negotiation.  Getting kidnapped from school and taken out to lunch is one possibility, as is having a DVD with friends (both about 15 points).  We are making them up as we go along.

Here are my current lists:

Morning Responsibilities

 Make Bed

Curtains open

Light off and tidy 2

Breakfast and Clear table

Get Dressed to shoes

PJ’s away

Teeth + Sunscreen

Hair done

Bag Packed

Evening Responsibilities

 Bag Job (lunch box, paperwork, rubbish/dirty items  etc.)

 Homework and Helping

 Dinner + Clear table

 Bath/wash if needed

Teeth and Toilet

 Bed by 7:45 Settle at 8:08

I also have a list to help with bag packing:

Bag Check

 Lunch

Drink

Hat

Jumper

Diary

Glasses

Smock

Books (Reader/Library)

Show and Tell

Now in truth, the momentum slowed after a mere 2 weeks, but I'm not giving up!