I never thought I’d be in this situation. For years I’ve been trying to get my partner to help more around the house. I’ve tried making lists and talking about it, but nothing seemed to stick. It was so frustrating to be the only one noticing what needed to be done.
After another discussion about sharing responsibilities, my partner suggested using an app for reminders. I found one that turns chores into a game with points. It’s actually meant for kids, but we decided to try it anyway.
We made a deal: whoever earns more points each week gets to choose where we go for date night, and the other person pays. Now our home is cleaner than ever because my partner is motivated by the competition.
I’m relieved it’s working, but also feel a bit silly that it took a children’s app to solve our problem. Has anyone else found unusual ways to balance household tasks?
We’ve found success with a simple reward chart for household tasks. Each family member has their own column, and we all add stickers when chores are done.
At the end of the week, we tally up the stickers. The person with the most gets to pick a fun family activity for the weekend.
It’s been great for getting everyone involved. The kids love collecting stickers, and it’s helped them see how their contributions make a difference.
Sometimes we forget to update the chart or argue about what counts as a completed task. But overall, it’s made chores feel more like a team effort.
The best part is seeing how proud the kids are when they earn those stickers. It’s turned cleaning into a positive experience instead of a chore.
That’s so interesting! I’ve been using a chore app with my little one, but never thought about using it with a partner.
It’s funny how competition can motivate us, even as adults. I wonder if the novelty will wear off or if it will create lasting habits?
Have you noticed any downsides to this approach? I’m curious if it feels like you’re both more aware of the work that needs to be done now.
For us, the app has helped my kid get excited about small tasks, but I still struggle with consistency. Some days the gamification works wonders, other days not so much. I’d love to hear how others keep the momentum going long-term with these kinds of systems.
I love this creative solution! It’s amazing how a little friendly competition can make such a difference. We had a similar breakthrough when our kids were younger. We tried sticker charts and allowances, but nothing really clicked until we made a ‘Chore Challenge’ game.
Each week, we’d draw tasks from a hat. Whoever finished their list first got to pick the weekend activity. Our daughter, always the go-getter, started doing extra chores to get ahead. Her brother caught on quick, and suddenly they were racing to clean the bathroom!
It wasn’t perfect. Some weeks they lost interest or argued about who did what. But overall, it made chores less of a battle. The kids learned responsibility, and we got a cleaner house. Win-win!
Now that they’re teens, we’ve moved on to a point system tied to their allowance and privileges. But that early game really helped set the foundation for pitching in around the house.
We’ve had some success with a ‘chore jar’ system at our house. My kid and I wrote down different tasks on slips of paper and put them in a jar. Every day after school, we each pick one slip and do that chore.
It’s not perfect, but it adds an element of surprise that my 11-year-old enjoys. Some days we race to see who can finish first. Other days it’s more of a team effort.
The randomness keeps things interesting, and it’s helped my child learn about different household tasks without feeling overwhelmed by a long to-do list.
