Your first week is about helping the family learn the system—not building the perfect chore list.

By the end of the week, your family should understand four things:

1. Where chores appear
2. How to mark a chore complete
3. How S’mores and rewards work
4. How to review the week and fix what is not working

Keep the first week active, clear, and a little fun.

Your Week at a Glance

Day	Focus
Day 1	Set up the family and complete one chore
Day 2	Repeat the basic chore flow
Day 3	Add one Reward Shelf item
Day 4	Add one useful reminder
Day 5	Try one engaging chore type
Day 6	Improve one unclear chore
Day 7	Open Weekly View and adjust

You can move faster or slower. The order matters more than the exact day.

Day 1: Set Up the Family and Get the First Win

Check that the correct adults and children are listed.

Then create 5 to 7 familiar chores across the family.

Good starter chores:

• Feed the pet
• Make the bed
• Put laundry in the hamper
• Clear the table
• Pack the backpack
• Put shoes by the door
• Brush teeth

Choose one easy chore and complete the full flow:

Assigned → Completed → Approved if needed → S’mores earned

Celebrate the first completion.

The first goal is not a perfect setup. It is helping the family see how S’moresUp works.

Day 2: Repeat the Basic Flow

Let each child complete one or two chores.

Watch for confusion:

• Can the child find the correct profile?
• Is the chore name clear?
• Does the child know what finished looks like?
• Is the due time realistic?
• Does the S’mores value feel understandable?
• Does approval happen when expected?

Fix the chore instead of repeating the same verbal explanation.

For example:

Instead of:

Clean up after school.

Try:

Put the lunchbox in the sink.

Clear chores are easier to own.

Day 3: Add One Reward

Open the Reward Shelf and create one reward your child cares about.

Good first rewards include:

• Choose the family movie
• Extra game time
• Pick dessert
• Choose dinner
• Stay up 15 minutes later on the weekend
• Save toward a book, toy, or activity

Use a reachable S’mores cost.

A child should be able to earn a first reward without waiting so long that the system feels imaginary.

Also add one larger goal. This gives the child a reason to think about saving.

Ask:

Do you want to use your S’mores soon, or save for something bigger?

That is the beginning of a money-skill conversation.

Day 4: Add One Useful Reminder

Choose the chore you repeat out loud most often.

Examples:

• Feed the pet
• Pack the backpack
• Put the lunchbox in the sink
• Start the bedtime routine
• Take the trash out

Add one reminder before the chore is due.

Tell your child:

S’moresUp is going to send the first reminder. Check the app before I remind you again.

Do not add several reminders to every chore.

A reminder should reduce repeated follow-up, not become background noise.

Day 5: Make One Chore More Engaging

Once the family understands a normal assigned chore, try one chore type that adds fairness or fun.

Rotate

Use Rotate when a shared chore should move between family members.

Example:

• Take out trash
• Feed the pet
• Empty the dishwasher

Collaborate

Use Collaborate when the family needs to work together.

Example:

• Clean the garage
• Prepare for guests
• Organize a shared room

Compete

Use Compete for selected chores that work as a friendly challenge.

Example:

• Ten-minute cleanup
• Laundry sorting
• Toy pickup

Bonus

Offer a Bonus chore when a child wants to earn extra S’mores.

Example:

• Organize the shoe area
• Help fold towels
• Clean a shared shelf

Do not turn the whole week into competition. Use the type that fits the responsibility.

Day 6: Improve One Chore

Pick one chore that was missed, done halfway, or followed by an argument.

Ask:

• Is the name too broad?
• Is the due time wrong?
• Is the chore too hard?
• Does it need instructions?
• Is it assigned to the wrong person?
• Is the S’mores value too low or too high?
• Is approval adding unnecessary delay?

Change one part.

Example:

Before:

Clean your room.

After:

Put clothes in the hamper before 7:30 PM.

A clearer chore creates a fairer finish line.

Day 7: Open Weekly View

Weekly View is the reporting experience in S’moresUp.

Use it to look at the full week.

Review:

• Completed chores
• Missed chores
• Chores waiting for approval
• Repeated late chores
• Workload by family member
• Chores that need a better schedule
• Wins worth celebrating

Ask five questions:

1. What worked well?
2. Which chore was often missed?
3. Did anything feel unfair?
4. Which reminder helped?
5. What is one change for next week?

End with one celebration and one adjustment.

Do not rebuild the whole system after one week.

What a Good First Week Looks Like

A good first week does not mean every chore was completed.

It means:

• The family opened the app
• Kids learned where chores appear
• At least a few chores moved to done
• Children saw S’mores being earned
• One reward became real
• One reminder reduced parent follow-up
• The family used Weekly View
• One chore was improved

That is a working family system.

Keep the Second Week Simple

In week two:

• Keep the chores that worked
• Rewrite unclear chores
• Remove chores the family ignored
• Add only one or two new responsibilities
• Keep Reward Shelf choices current
• Use fewer reminders if notifications became noisy
• Let kids take more ownership of checking the app

S’moresUp gets stronger through use and adjustment—not through adding every feature.

Common Questions

What if my kids resist S’moresUp?

Give them a small choice. Let them choose one chore, one reward, or one reminder time from parent-approved options.

What if we miss several days?

Restart with today’s chores. Do not try to repair every old miss.

What if the family forgets to check the app?

Choose a regular check-in point, such as after school, after dinner, or before bedtime.

Should we use allowance during the first week?

You can, but it is not required. Start with S’mores and simple rewards, then connect money when the family understands earning and spending.

Should we turn on approval and Photo Proof?

Use them for selected chores where the finished result matters. Do not add them to every small task.

What if the system already feels too big?

Cut the active list to 5 to 7 useful chores and remove extra reminders or controls.

Best First Action

Put a five-minute family check-in on the calendar for the end of the week.

Open Weekly View, celebrate one win, and fix one chore that keeps getting missed.

Related Articles

• Getting Started with S’moresUp
• How to Complete Your First Chore
• Understanding the Main Areas of S’moresUp
• Use Weekly View in S’moresUp