Why a chore schedule?

What is a chore schedule and why is it better than chore charts or calendars

High Level View of features

Here is an overview of the unique features and what these do for the family using this:

1. Designed with large families in mind
2. Usable by all ages
3. Encourages work until accomplished
4. Builds appreciation for a job well done
5. Family life centered
6. Schedule Weekly for efficiency
7. Organized around set blocks of time
8. Sharable between devices and paper charts
9. Provides Multiple views of into life schedule
10. Builds a traditional american family lifestyle

The reward is a job well done

We need a system that is not based on rewards, stars, allowance, etc. Our firm belief is htat the art of living is something each person does for and within themselves, building an internal reward of a better life. It isnt something that requires outside rewards to accomplish, in fact.... the outside rewards (treats, allowance, etc) actually detract from the real lesson here of "learn to do for yourself and others and feel good about that for what it is". 

software architectrure

Set Time blocks

The system is also designed around set time slots... you decide on the smallest element of time  to control (we suggest 30 minutes) and everything is scheduled within that. there is the notion of "task summary and task detail". If the summary task is too small to be a half hour with some amount of free time after,  it should become a detail of a larger summary. what this does is set a "summary schedule" that lists what TYPES of things everyone is working on in a given time period (school, chores, outside play, etc)  and the details list off for that person what the definition of that is for that particular event.  For instance.. 10:00 to 10:30 could be "home chores" while on Monday that means "take out trash, sweep porches", etc.  This gives dual views.. family summary view and personal detail view. Both useful and necessary for different reasons.

plan weekly

The system is also built around a weekly schedule on purpose.  Experience shows that plans more than a week out rarely help except for main events. Planning for less than a week is horribly inefficient because you end up planning all the time.  the balance is planning once a week for the coming week. Then that plan carries over to the next week but adjustments are made weekly. this gives a very comfortable routine of weekly effort in review for what worked, adjustments for what needs changing, and carry over for what is ok. Part of the weekly schedule is making/reviewing  the weekly schedule. this is also the time we review child development, family issues, family direction, school needs, etc.  In the future the plan is to incorporate a yearly "calendar" that will automatically merge with the weekly schedule for adjustments around things like birthdays, trips, dr appts, etc.

Family Centric

Our system is also family centric. It assume that there are events during the day when the entire family comes together. That's how we work. For us it is around meals... the day is organized around set meal times when we all sit down to share our time as a family over a meal.  This is inherent in the design, not something you "schedule for", but a basic architectural assumption. The reward for a efficient well completed job is free time, but the "release" from the schedule is family together time.