Mom’s annual chore system goes viral—because it’s genius

Getting kids to do chores is a lifelong tug-of-war that parents know well. However, one mom has a chore system she distributes among her six kids, and it has gone viral on TikTok for both its simplicity and its genius.

“Every year, the day before school starts, we announce what two chores each child will have for the whole year,” Sharon, who posts on TikTok as @ahron.a.life, wrote over the video. “This year, we announced it at our FANCY-night-before-school feast. FANCY costumes and FANCY china were required.”

She added that she and her family have been doing chores this way for five or six years and it works “so well.”

In the video, Sharon, dressed to the nines and seated at the head of the dining table, clears her throat and announces, “Drum roll, please.”

She begins announcing the chores, starting with the family patriarch. 

“Dad is once again going to be in charge of the upstairs bathroom. Everybody say, ‘Thank you Dad.'”

Then, her own chore for the year.

“Mom this year is taking on craft room responsibilities,” she says, pausing for a chorus of “Thanks Mom!”

Then, it’s time for the kids, whose chores she reads off from oldest to youngest.

“We are starting with [14-year-old’s name redacted],” Sharon says. “She’s got a new one. She’s gonna hate it. Your chore this year is the porch, and when it snows, you have to shovel off the sidewalk and a pathway down to the road. Oh, you also have the living room.”

“[12-year-old], you are entering seventh grade this year,” she continues. “You are the oldest in your school, which is pretty cool. For the next six months, you will be doing trash and the downstairs bathroom.”

Next up is the 11-year-old, who gets a repeat assignment: “[11-year-old], you will be entering your first year in sixth grade. We’re all very excited for you. You have the dishwasher and the hallways again, because you were so terrible at it this year, so you’re forced to do it for another six months.”

Then, Sharon assigns the 9- and 8-year-old together.

“[9-year-old], you’re entering fourth grade, and you’re the oldest in elementary school, which is a big deal. Your first chore is the TV room,” she says. “[8-year-old], you’re entering second grade this year. Congratulations! You have clear and set the table in the morning and the evening. You will be great at it — you will be my helper. It will be amazing. And [both 8- and 9-year-old], you have a floater chore, which means I will have a chore every day that I need you to do for me really quick and that’s your chore for the day. It’s kind of fun that you get that chore because it changes every day.”

Finally, the youngest.

“[5-year-old] is entering her first year of kindergarten — a round of applause for her first year of school — very exciting,” Sharon announces. “You are in charge of the entryway this year, and you will be assisting Mom with the craft room.”

In the comments, viewers and other parents praised the family’s chore system.

“why did I watch this like my chore was up next,” one person wrote.

Sharon responded, “Hahaha. Do you want one? I have a few more to dish out.”

Another viewer added, “This is actually great idea. No confusion. No asking whose turn something is. Expections are set early.”

It really is a great system—especially for large families.