I’ve never been able to figure it out.

The chore chart.

The chore payment system.

Remembering to check the chart and pay for the chores completed.

I’ve tried various systems. They have all failed. Because I can’t keep track.

I was released of that stress this past weekend while listening to John C. Maxwell, who was the keynote speaker at a conference I attended.

He shared with us something his father had taught him as a young boy about why he wasn’t paid for chores:

His father told him: “Son, I pay you based on what I value. I don’t pay you to do chores. You do chores because you are a part of this family. You do them to be part of this family and live in our home. If I pay you to take out the garbage, you’ll be a garbage man. I value books. I would rather pay you based on what I value. I’d rather recommend a great book, and if you read it, you’ll be better for it and I’m happy to pay you for that”.

When I heard this, the payment-for-chores-monkey jumped off my back and ran away shrieking. The arena cheered.  I have ALWAYS had an underlying uncomfortable feeling about paying for chores. But, you know, that was the “thing” to do, and I was not creative enough to come up with anything different. Maybe I was waiting for permission to totally go off grid. Well, if so, I ran with John’s suggestion, and implemented it the day I got home.

I decided that along with my children being responsible for completing their chores before screen time (phone, iPod, tv), they must also do 30 minutes of reading in books I’ve chosen for them (at some point during the day). And yes, they will be compensated. And compensated well. For I VALUE this behavior. I had their attention.

We start the week with them having already earned their full pay. Any day they miss reading, I shave some off. But, I thought that knowing what was waiting for them would be a great motivator. Think about it, many of us know what our weekly paycheck will be. If we are hourly, and miss work, we lose pay. Same here. Miss a day? I shave a little off the top. It’s customary to know one’s base pay up front, whether hourly, salary, or working under a commission structure. Why not my kids? And lest you think they can simply “phone it in”, think again. They have to share with me what they have read.

This is as tough assignment. My daughter is laboring through “7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens”, and said “It’s hard. And a little boring.” And yet, immediately following that statement, she launches into some quotes that she found interesting.

“I even highlighted them”.

7th grade is gonna rock her iPod and cell phone world, so a challenging book is exactly what she needs. Plus, she’s actually learning a bit about herself. Hmmm, go figure.

Zane is reading “10 Boys who Changed the World” and is wondering why I gave him a book “All about Ministers” – well, son, I thought it would be cool for you to see how God’s voice speaks through different people during different times.

Their focus and effort will earn them a handsome paycheck at the end of the week.

And, the chores still get done, simply because they are a part of this family. (And I am spared the “Keep fighting about who removes which dishes from the dishwasher and you lose your allowance!” monologue – which was pointless, as I never remembered to pay anyway.)

I think this is a win-win. More mula for them. Plus, some personal growth. And relational – for we get to talk books.

I can’t wait to give them their first official paycheck . . .

(I’ll let you know how it goes!)