The theory
The chart pays for habits, not labor, and it makes Theodore do the arithmetic.
- Small amounts, repeated, beat big amounts, occasional. Most chores pay 5¢. The money is almost beside the point: the daily mark is the reward. Bigger amounts are saved for jobs that are harder or rarer.
- Initiative is a separate category from compliance. Doing dishes when told and starting homework unprompted are different skills. “Start it yourself” says that out loud and pays more than any daily chore.
- The math is the lesson. No totals appear anywhere on the sheet. He adds his own rows, adds the rows together, and brings the number.
- Paper on a wall beats an app. The chart only works if it's in front of him. A phone screen has to be opened; a fridge doesn't.
The sections
- Every day
- Expected daily and streak-eligible. Small, fast, his to remember.
- Bigger jobs
- As needed. These pay more because they're rarer or harder, not because they take longer.
- Start it yourself
- Nobody had to ask. If he needed a reminder, it doesn't count. “Be active” is broad on purpose, so a bike ride, a backyard scrimmage, or practice all count.
- Above and beyond
- The flexible award, explained below.
The streak
Any daily chore checked all seven days pays a 25¢ bonus, shown as the dashed coin in the right-hand column. The bonus is worth far more than the chore itself, and that's the point: it makes the small items worth caring about and turns the week into something to finish rather than a set of separate days. Every streak in one week adds up to $2.00 on top.
Above and beyond
One tally mark each time, for something really helpful that nobody asked for. No cap, no fixed rules. It works best when he hears “that was above and beyond” right when it happens, with the mark on the chart as the record, not just a tally revealed on payday.
Running the week
Print it, put it up, mark it by hand. At the end of the week he totals each row, adds the rows, writes the number, and brings the chart in to get paid. Nothing is tracked digitally and there is no total anywhere on the sheet. Both are on purpose.