Getting dc excited to do odd jobs around the house

Chore charts help with routine jobs around the house, but odd jobs are not routine and cannot really be planned for in a routine way.

I found a fun way to encourage my dc to take on odd jobs.  I take an envelope and write on the outside of it an odd job I'd like them to do.  I put a sticky note with some type of reward inside the envelope and seal it. I then hang it on the fridge in a magnetic clip.  I told the boys I will do this from time to time, and that I will not point it out to them, but rather let them take the initiative to watch for it and do the job as time allows.  They also must let everyone know it is hung and give them a chance to help, but if one person is ready to do it, and the other(s) don't want to, the person can do it without waiting for the others.  The others will not receive the reward then.  Also, a new envelope will not be hung until the one already hung is done.

I've done this about 1 month now, and it has worked incredibly well!  Everyone loves it.  The boys are always watching for a new envelope, and I am getting odd jobs done around the house promptly with great joy.

Here are some odd jobs that I've put on the envelope, and you will see they vary greatly in difficulty and time expended:
*clean out the toothpaste drawer
*wipe down the inside and outside of both of the front doors
*spray down the closet doors and wipe them clean
*go through all of the toys; make a pile to sell and put in a tote, a pile to throw and put in a trash bag (all broken or parts missing toys), and put all toys to keep neatly back in cubes on shelves;  if labels on cubes are incorrect throw them
*go through all of Emmett's Lakeshore games in the homeschooling cupboard, put stray pieces back in the right places, change out the ones he is tired of for new options from the basement
*go through all of the homeschooling cabinet's art supplies, test the markers, throw out anything that doesn't work / that is broken / or that is missing needed parts
*reshelve all of the free reading books you have finished and choose new ones for your rooms
*go through the outdoor toybox; throw broken things, pile things to sell we no longer use, and group things to keep together neatly so they fit well and easily into the toybox
*write Papa and Nana a thank you for taking you to the Christian quartet concert

Here are some of the rewards received written on the sticky note, and you will see they vary as well...
*one pack of gum, you can each chew 1 piece a day until they're gone
*dinner and a movie tonight - with popcorn!
*root beer floats
*a trip to Dairy Queen for cones
*$2 for Wyatt, $2 for Riley, $1 for Emmett to spend as you desire
*let's go to the Cars 2 movie!
*let's go to the Winnie the Pooh movie!
*let's go to the bakery for donuts!
*2 little Debbie treats for everyone who helped
*Let's have the cousins over to play!  I'll pick them up!
*If you included Emmett in helping with the chore, 3 jolly ranchers a piece.  If Emmett was not included,  1 jolly rancher a piece.
*If you did the chore on Monday, 5 tootsie rolls a piece.  If you did it on Tuesday, 3 tootsie rolls a piece. If it's done on Wed. or later in the week, 1 tootsie roll a piece.
*$10 each to Wyatt and Riley, $5 to Emmet to spend as you desire

Anyway - I just thought I'd share this, as it's been such fun and a great way to get some odd jobs done around the house, while rewarding the dc with things I probably would have done with them or given them eventually anyway!

In Christ,
Julie