The chore type decides how the responsibility is offered and who receives the S’mores.

Start with Individual.

Choose another type only when it makes ownership clearer.

Quick Decision Table

Need	Chore type	Plan
One person owns it	Individual	Free
Work appears whenever necessary	As Needed	Free
Family members take turns	Rotate	Premium
Several people work together	Collaborate	Premium
First completer earns it	Compete	Premium
Optional extra earning	Bonus	Premium

Individual

Use Individual when one person owns the responsibility.

Examples:

• Make your bed
• Pack your backpack
• Feed your fish
• Put laundry in the hamper

The assigned person receives the full S’mores value.

Individual is the clearest type for most chores.

As Needed

Use As Needed when the work appears unpredictably.

Examples:

• Refill the pet water bowl
• Wipe a spill
• Bring in a package
• Take recycling out when full

There is no fixed due time.

The chore can be completed as many times as necessary.

Each valid completion earns the configured amount.

As Needed is available in Free.

Rotate

Use Rotate when selected members should take turns.

Examples:

• Take out trash
• Empty dishwasher
• Feed the dog
• Set the table

One person is assigned for each occurrence.

That person receives the full S’mores value.

Use Rotate when the family keeps asking:

Whose turn is it?

Collaborate

Use Collaborate when several people need to work together.

Examples:

• Clean the garage
• Prepare for guests
• Organize a shared room
• Complete a weekend project

The total S’mores value is split among participating members.

Give each person a clear role.

Compete

Use Compete when a friendly first-completer challenge fits the chore.

Examples:

• Sort towels
• Pick up shared clutter
• Claim a quick cleanup

The first person to complete it receives the full value.

Avoid Compete when:

• Rushing is unsafe
• Quality matters more than speed
• Ages or abilities are very different
• Sibling competition already causes conflict

Bonus Chore

Use Bonus for optional work beyond normal responsibilities.

Examples:

• Organize the coat area
• Fold extra towels
• Help clean the garage
• Prepare for guests

The person who claims and completes the Bonus chore receives the full value.

Bonus should not replace normal family responsibilities.

S’mores Allocation by Type

Type	S’mores behavior
Individual	Full value to assigned person
As Needed	Configured value for each valid completion
Rotate	Full value to assigned person for that occurrence
Collaborate	Total split among participants
Compete	Full value to first completer
Bonus	Full value to claimant/completer

After a member earns S’mores, automatic percentage allocation can divide their amount into Spend, Save, and Goal.

Automatic allocation is available to everyone.

Home and Away with Shared Chore Types

Home and Away is set per child profile.

While a child is Away:

• Their assigned chores are excused and hidden from pending
• Future occurrences continue to be skipped
• Schedules remain intact
• Streaks are not affected
• Rotate, Collaborate, and Compete chores are picked up by other family members

When the child returns Home, those chores and shared assignments resume without rebuilding schedules.

This is profile behavior, not a special chore type.

When the Type Does Not Work

Rotate still feels unfair

Review the full workload, not only the rotation order.

Collaborate has one person doing everything

Give each participant a role or create separate Individual chores.

Compete creates arguments

Change to Rotate, Collaborate, or Bonus.

As Needed is ignored

Use Individual or Rotate when predictable ownership matters.

Bonus becomes expected

Move the responsibility into the normal chore list.

Common Questions

Which types are Free?

Individual and As Needed.

Which types are Premium?

Rotate, Collaborate, Compete, and Bonus chores.

Is Bonus the same as a manual Wallet Bonus?

No.

Is As Needed the same as Anytime?

No. Anytime belongs to a scheduled period. As Needed has no set time and can be completed repeatedly.

Does Away delete the schedule?

No.

Best First Action

Pick one chore with unclear ownership.

Use the decision table and choose the type that makes the family rule easiest to explain.

Related Articles

• Chore Types in S’moresUp
• How Rotate Chores Work
• How Collaborate Chores Work
• How As Needed Chores Work