US20020145253A1

US20020145253A1 - Family or household chore system game

Info

Publication number: US20020145253A1
Application number: US09/829,023
Authority: US
Inventors: Mara Wallach
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-04-09
Filing date: 2001-04-09
Publication date: 2002-10-10

Abstract

A game for selecting and distributing job tasks within a household including the steps of selecting, noting or writing a plurality of job tasks on Job Cards and Chore Lists; recording or assigning a weighting of difficulty of the job tasks listed on the Job Cards onto the Chore List; placing the Job Cards in the Job Jar container; household members will periodically select by lot one or more recorded written Job Cards; recording the scoring of each household member upon completion of the daily chores listed on the Chore List and Weekly job tasks listed on the Job Cards selected by lot; tallying the scores for every household member, each week, of daily and weekly jobs completed and recorded to determine weekly rewards per household member; tallying the job task scores on weekly Chore Lists for each household member after each month to determine the winning of the Family Member of The Month award; promoting the name and displaying the photo of the household member that wins the Family Member of The Month award for the entire month following.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to work assignment in the home environment and more particularly to a game for assignment and execution of work assignments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A variety of methods of assignment of work tasks have been provided in the past. The most typical of course is simple autocratic assignment by a person in authority. The job tasks may be assigned and placed on a list posted on the wall or refrigerator of the home or work environment. Some times the job tasks are communicated by telephone. Other times the job tasks are assigned by computer transmission. The assignment of the job tasks in the past have generally not been done by lot or by drawing of the job task needing to be completed. In the past the assignment of the job task has not been as part of an exciting game. The present invention provides a system that makes the assignment & completion of basic daily household chores and weekly household jobs into an exciting game.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods for assignment of daily chores and weekly job tasks and more particular to selection and assignment of daily chores and weekly job tasks as a game with weekly rewards and a monthly award for successful completion of the daily household chores and weekly household job tasks.

The present invention includes a method of conducting family or household job or chore business including the following steps. The first step may include identifying and recording in written form on a small cardstock sheet of paper a plurality of household DAILY CHORES and WEEKLY JOB tasks to be carried out by the household members. The WEEKLY job records may be stored on a plurality of JOB CARDS, e,g., 100 small JOB CARDS that may be provided in a card deck form. The JOB CARDS may be preprinted to include many of the household job assignments that need to be carried out on a daily or weekly basis to maintain a household. The JOB CARD deck may include a plurality of blank JOB CARDS that will allow the household to record special jobs as needed by the household. The DAILY CHORES to be carried out by the household members may be in the form of a tablet of preprinted paper sheets called the CHORE LIST. The CHORE LIST tablet may, for example, include 50 sheets of paper. Each individual CHORE LIST may be labeled with a family member name at the beginning of each new week using the names of each household member. Each individual CHORE LIST may include a DAILY CHORES section that may, for example, includes preprinted DAILY CHORES that include personal hygiene and household DAILY chore assignments that may need to be carried out by each household member and blank spaces to allow the household to record special jobs as indicated by the household members. The CHORE LIST may be formatted and preprinted to include space to record numerical values of chore or jobs completed for every day of a 7 day week. The CHORE LIST may include a WEEKLY JOBS section on the CHORE LIST that allows the household to record up to 5 WEEKLY JOBS and the numerical value of that job based on the JOB CARDS selected each week by each household member. The CHORE LIST may include a BONUS POINTS section that will allow household members to earn bonus points, as indicated by the household, based on tasks or jobs completed without being told. The CHORE LIST may include a TOTAL POINTS EARNED section that allows household members to add up the numerical values of all Daily Chores, Weekly Jobs and Bonus Point totals based on the DAILY CHORES, WEEKLY JOBS or BONUS POINTS sections as completed. Each Job Card may have a weighting assigned according to difficulty for each of the recorded preprinted or written weekly job tasks noted on each JOB CARD.

At the beginning of every week the household members may sort the preprinted or written JOB CARDS according to the jobs the household needs to accomplish for that week. JOB CARDS selected for the week may be placed in the JOB JAR container. Each household member may select by lot one or more recorded or written JOB CARDS on a periodic basis. Each member may maintain a score sheet using the CHORE LIST with the recording of each weighted job task upon the selection and completion of the job task. Each member may tally the score on the CHORE LIST and the recording for each household member upon completion of each DAILY CHORE and WEEKLY JOB per week will determine the rewards earned based on the REWARD CENTER criteria as indicated by household members. The REWARD CENTER is a preprinted magnetic form that includes a dry erase pen and includes space for the household member names, for example 4 names, to be recorded. The REWARD CENTER includes preprinted spaces under each of the household members names area. This section provides the household a way to record specific rewards that can be earned according to the household member and the total numerical point value earned for that week by that household member. The numerical totals are based on the DAILY CHORES, WEEKLY JOBS and BONUS POINTS recorded and tallied by completing the tasks expected of each household member for that week as indicated on the CHORE LIST. The REWARD CENTER may have 2 preprinted starting point values of 100 and 150 points per household member and 2 blank point value spaces to be completed and recorded by the household.

As indicated by the household, rewards that can be earned may be based on the criteria established at the beginning of each week. Upon completion of a 4 week period of time all weekly point values earned per household member, (based on totals recorded each week on the CHORE LISTS) may be tabulated to determine a monthly award to one household member. This monthly award may be a preprinted magnetic picture frame called the FAMILY MEMBER OF THE MONTH. This award is earned and promoted within the household. The criteria that must be met to achieve this monthly award can be based on the total point value earned per household member or other criteria established ahead of time by the household members. The photo of the household member that achieves this honor is placed in the FAMILY MEMBER OF THE MONTH award frame and is posted during the entire month following the recorded month.

IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the container of the JOB JAR present invention; [0007]
FIG. 2 shows a card deck carrying written JOB CARDS; [0008]
FIG. 3 shows a prepared sheet of job descriptions on a CHORE LIST of the present invention; [0009]
FIG. 4 shows a prepared display of the REWARD CENTER [0010]
FIG. 5 shows an award picture frame display of the FAMILY MEMBER OF THE MONTH present invention;[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the present invention may include a [0012] container 10 having a wide mouth suitable for the insertion of a family member's hand for purposes of withdrawing JOB CARDS, as hereinafter described. The container 10 may be of any suitable material; however, preferably the container is of a light weight, non breakable polymer. Suitable materials include polyethylene, polypropylene and the like. The container 10 desirably is opaque or non transparent thereby preventing the reading of material through the side of the container.
The [0013] container 10 may be surrounded by a label with depictions of various aspects of the present method, e.g., symbols showing a player being recognized as a winner or job tasks in progress, e.g. mowing of the lawn. The container 10 may include a closure such as a screw cap for secure storage of the materials between usages, as hereinafter described.
The present invention may include a plurality of JOB CARDS, e.g., small sheets or slips of card stock paper [0014] 12 (FIG. 2), each JOB CARD may carry a description or identification of a job task 13. The job tasks 13 may be initially printed on a large sheet of paper 14 (FIG. 3) and then cut into small cards 12 (FIG. 2). The JOB CARDS 12 may include a weighting 16 representing the difficulty of the job task 13. The weighting may be based on the time or difficulty expected to be consumed in carrying out the job task. For example, sweeping the kitchen floor may take only one tenth of the time necessary to mow the grass. The weighting of the mowing job task may be five times as great as the weighting of the sweeping of the kitchen floor, e.g., mowing score is 25 points and sweeping the kitchen is 5 points. The job tasks may be, for example, any or all of the following job tasks:
a. “Sweeping the kitchen floor (5 pts)”[0015]
b. “Emptying the garbage (5 pts)”[0016]
c. “Taking care of pets (25 pts)”[0017]
d. “Washing the clothes (20 pts)”[0018]
e. “Washing the supper dishes (15 pts)”[0019]
f. “Mowing the grass (25 pts)”[0020]
The [0021] small Job Cards 14 or sheets carrying the description of the job tasks may be placed in the container 10 for storage and use. The container 10 may include a closure 11 for maintaining the sheets of paper within the container 10 between usages. The present invention includes a Chore List tally sheet 16 to record the successful completion of each daily and weekly job task by a household member. The recording of the successful completion includes a score that conforms to the weighted score on each of the daily or weekly job tasks. The Chore List tally sheet includes a weekly tally to permit the household members to compare the success of each member on a weekly basis. The tally sheet 16 has a monthly sum total for determination of the winner of the FAMILY MEMBER OF THE MONTH AWARD.
The present invention may include a magnetic display plaque [0022] 17 which has a support 18 for insertion of a photograph of the person being honored for successful winning of the title FAMILY MEMBER OF THE MONTH each month. The display plaque 17 may also include support for insertion of 3 people designated as “Family Member of the Month”, “Family Member of the Week” and “In the dog house” for failure to fulfill job tasks.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, it is to be recognized that various modifications may be made. For example, while the job tasks have been described as being recorded on small card stock sheets of paper, one may wish to impress the job task into small plastic discs or tokens that are placed in a container for the drawing of the assigned. [0023]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of conducting household chore and job business comprising:

selecting, identifying and recording in writing a plurality of job tasks to be carried out by the household members for the upcoming week, the recording each being stored on a small cardstock sheet of paper in a card deck and list; placing the selected Job Cards in the Job Jar container; each family member selecting by lot one or more recorded written Job Cards on a periodic basis; each cardstock sheet of paper is assigned a weighting of difficulty for each of the recorded written job tasks and recording the difficulty level of each job task by placing the job tasks assigned and numerical score for each task selected on the Chore List sheet of paper; maintaining a Chore List score sheet with the recording of each daily chore accomplished with a pre-assigned point value listed on the Chore List and the weighted job task values based on Job Cards selected stated on the Job Cards upon completion of the job task; tallying the weekly score recorded for each household member upon completion of the week and awarding weekly rewards pre-determined by the household; based on completion of the monthly score recorded by tallying the scores recorded for each household member upon completion of the month and awarding the Family Member of the Month; and promoting within the family the name of the family member of the month during the month following the recorded month.

2. The method of claim 1 for conducting household business wherein the selection of the job task is made by drawing Job Cards from the Job Jar container.

3. The method of claim 2 for conducting household business wherein the score of the Chore List sheet is posted in a conspicuous location as the scores are displayed between recordings.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each household member selects a predetermined number of Job Card sheets each week from the Job Jar.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein a plurality of special Job Cards that are included in the Job Card deck, said special cards permitting a free pass from the job task that allow household members the opportunity to change or award that task to another household member.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein a plurality of special Job Cards are included with the job tasks, said special sheets providing for required trading of Job Card tasks with another household member.

7. A method for conducting household business comprising: selecting and distributing job tasks within a household including the steps of writing or selecting a plurality of job t asks o n Job Cards, as signing or displaying the weighting of difficulty of the job task s listed on the Job Cards, placing the Job Cards in the Job Jar container, selecting by lot one or more recorded written Job Cards; recording the scoring of each household member upon completion of the job task; tallying the score recorded each week to determine weekly rewards; tallying score recorded each month to determine the winning family member of the month; and promoting the name and photo of the winning family member of the month.

8. The method of claim 7 for conducting household business wherein the selection of the Job Card is made by drawing a job task Job Card sheet from the Job Jar container.

9. The method of claim 8 for conducting household business wherein the Chore List score sheets are posted in a conspicuous location as the scores and tasks are displayed between recordings.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein household members sort and select a number of job task Job Cards each week.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein a plurality of special sheets are included with the job task sheets, said special sheets permitting a free pass from obtaining a job task in the drawing.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein a plurality of special sheets are included with the job tasks, said special sheets providing for trading of job task sheets with another family member.

13. A method for conducting family business comprising: selecting and distributing job tasks within a family including the steps of providing a plurality of tokens carrying designations and weighting of job tasks, placing the job task tokens in a container, drawing tokens thereby selecting by lot at least one recorded written job task; collecting the job task token upon the completion of the designated job task; recording the scoring of each family member upon completion of the job task; tallying the score recorded each month to determine the winning family member of the month; and promoting the name of the winning family member of the month.

14. The method of claim 13 for conducting family business wherein the score sheet is posted in a conspicuous location as the scores are displayed between recordings.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein each family member selects a predetermined number of job task tokens each week.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein a plurality of special tokens are included with the job task tokens, said special tokens permitting a free pass from obtaining a job task in the drawing.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein a plurality of special tokens are included with the job tasks, said special tokens providing for trading of job task tokens with another family member.