How to Create an Online First Dibs Chore Chart

Lots of parents ask us about the best way to set up an online “first dibs” chore chart system for the kids in their family.

What’s that?

Here’s a typical description from FamZoo Mom Elizabeth H.:

I’d like to create a chore checklist that is open to all of my children, and the one to check it off first gets the money associated with that chore. Is that possible? For example, if the trash needs to be taken out and child 3 does that, I would like for him to be able to check the box and get the money.

Yep, we can do that in FamZoo. Here’s how you set it up.

First, create a new checklist, give it a name, and share it with the whole family so that each of the kids can see it when they sign into FamZoo separately. Be sure to check the Rewards and Penalties option on the list to enable the assignment of payments for each chore.

Currently, chore payments must be assigned to a specific child’s account up front, so you’ll need to create a chore item for each eligible child.

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Important Update: It’s no longer necessary to create a separate chore item for each eligible child. Just create one item and assign the reward to the Default Account entry. See here for details.

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For example, suppose we have three children: Cub, LilSis, and BigSis. Let’s say that every Monday, the “take trash cans to the curb” chore is up for grabs. Start by creating a repeating item for Cub with the following settings:

• Description: Take trash cans to curb (Cub)
• Repeats: Weekly on Mondays
• Expires: After the due date by 1 day
• Reward/Penalty: Credit Cub’s Pocket Money $0.25 when item is checked

Notice how we include Cub’s name in the description of the chore. Now, we’ll add another item that’s identical to this one except we replace Cub’s name in the description with “LilSis” and we pick LilSis’ spending account instead of Cub’s. Rinse and repeat with BigSis to create a third and final item.

The first kid to do the chore checks off their item to get the reward.

Checking off the item automatically makes a payment of the designated amount to the appropriate child’s account.

If a child accidentally (or not so accidentally!) checks off an item, just un-check it to automatically reverse the payment. Do not delete the checked item because leaves any existing payment transactions in place.

So, that’s how your create a first dibs chore chart for your kids in FamZoo. Questions? Comments? Don’t hesitate to contact us.

Note: We plan to make this even simpler to set up in the future by assigning the payment account on the fly based on which child checks off the chore. That way, you’ll be able to have a single item for each chore that’s up for grabs. (Update: this is done. See here for details.)