The first completed chore is the fastest way for your family to understand S’moresUp.

A parent assigns the work. The child sees it, completes it, and marks it done. If approval is turned on, a parent reviews it. The child earns the S’mores connected to the chore and can see the progress they made.

Use a simple chore for the first practice. The goal is to learn the flow, not test every feature.

Quick Start

1. Choose one easy chore due today.
2. Assign it to the correct child.
3. Open the child’s profile and find the chore.
4. Complete the work and mark the chore done.
5. Add Photo Proof if the chore asks for it.
6. Approve it if Parent Approval is turned on.
7. Check the completed chore and earned S’mores.

Pick a chore the child can finish in less than five minutes.

Choose the Right First Chore

A good first chore is:

• Familiar
• Easy to understand
• Easy to finish
• Easy for a parent to check
• Worth a simple S’mores value

Good examples:

• Put laundry in the hamper
• Feed the pet
• Clear the dinner plate
• Put shoes by the door
• Make the bed
• Pack the backpack

Avoid a broad first chore such as:

Clean your room.

Use a clear action:

Put dirty clothes in the hamper.

A clear finish line helps the child complete the chore honestly and helps the parent review it fairly.

Step 1: Make Sure the Chore Is Assigned Correctly

Open the chore from a parent profile and check:

• Chore name
• Assigned family member
• Due day
• Due time, if needed
• S’mores value
• Instructions
• Approval setting
• Photo Proof setting

For the first chore, keep the setup simple.

Use approval only when you want to demonstrate the parent-review flow. Use Photo Proof only when taking a picture makes sense.

Step 2: Open the Child’s Profile

Show the child how to open their profile and find the chore.

Ask:

• Can you see the chore?
• Do you understand the name?
• Do you know when it is due?
• Do you know what finished looks like?
• Can you see how many S’mores it earns?

If the child cannot answer, improve the chore before asking them to complete it.

Step 3: Complete the Work

Have the child do the chore before marking it complete.

This sounds simple, but the first practice should make the rule clear:

Marking a chore done means the work is finished.

If the chore has several steps, add instructions or a checklist.

Example:

Chore: Pack the school bag

Instructions:

• Put homework in the bag
• Add the lunchbox
• Add the water bottle
• Place the bag by the door

The app should make the finish line easier to see.

Step 4: Mark the Chore Complete

After the work is finished, the child marks the chore complete from their profile.

The chore may:

• Move directly to completed
• Ask for Photo Proof
• Move to an approval area
• Award S’mores immediately
• Wait to award S’mores until approval

The exact result depends on the chore settings.

Show the child what changed on the screen. Visible movement from pending to done is part of the reward.

Step 5: Add Photo Proof When Required

Photo Proof lets the child attach a picture when completing a chore.

It can be useful for chores such as:

• Made bed
• Clean desk
• Organized backpack
• Put away laundry
• Cleaned pet area

Use the photo to make the finished result clear, not to make every small chore feel inspected.

Try:

Take a picture so we can see the finished job.

Avoid:

Prove that you did it.

Photo Proof works best when the child already knows what the parent expects.

Step 6: Review the Chore When Approval Is On

Parent Approval lets an adult review the completed chore before it is fully accepted or rewarded.

When reviewing, check:

• Was the chore completed?
• Did the child follow the instructions?
• Does the result match the agreed finish line?
• Is any Photo Proof useful and clear?

Approve the chore when it is done.

If it needs another attempt, explain exactly what needs to change. Rejection should teach the finish line, not feel like a surprise.

Exact rejection and resubmission behavior should be verified in the current app before publication.

Step 7: Show the Earned S’mores

After the completion or approval, show the child the earned S’mores.

Connect the reward to the work:

You completed the pet chore and earned 10 S’mores. Those S’mores are now part of your progress toward the reward you picked.

This helps the child understand:

• Effort has value
• Completed chores add up
• Rewards require choices
• Saving takes time
• The family notices contribution

If the S’mores do not appear, check whether approval is still waiting, the chore value is zero, or the chore type allocates S’mores differently.

Step 8: Celebrate the First Win

The celebration does not need to be large.

Try:

• A high-five
• A Campfire shout-out
• “You completed your first S’moresUp chore.”
• “You remembered the finish line.”
• “You earned your first S’mores.”

Specific recognition helps kids understand what they did well.

What Happens Next

After the first chore works:

1. Add one or two more familiar chores.
2. Create one Reward Shelf item.
3. Add one reminder to the chore that is usually forgotten.
4. Try a repeating schedule.
5. Open Weekly View at the end of the week.

Do not add every chore at once. Let the family repeat the basic flow until it feels familiar.

Common Questions

What if the chore does not appear for the child?

Check the assigned family member, start date, selected day, due time, and child profile.

What if the child completed the work but forgot to mark it done?

Help them update the chore, then talk about making the app check-in part of the routine.

What if S’mores were not awarded?

Check whether approval is waiting, the chore was rejected, the S’mores value is zero, or the chore type splits or awards S’mores differently.

Should every chore require approval?

No. Use approval for chores where quality or safety matters. Too many approvals create more work for parents and slow down the reward.

Should every chore use Photo Proof?

No. Use it when a photo makes the finished result easier to review.

What if my child marks chores complete without doing them?

Make the finish line clearer. Use Parent Approval or Photo Proof for selected chores and explain what marking complete means.

Best First Action

Choose one familiar chore due today.

Complete the entire flow together—from assigned, to done, to approved if needed, to the first earned S’mores.

Related Articles

• Getting Started with S’moresUp
• How to Set Up Your Family
• Your First Week with S’moresUp
• Understanding the Main Areas of S’moresUp