Lock and Late Penalty both respond to a missed due time.

They do not do the same thing.

Control	After the due time
Lock	The incomplete chore becomes locked
Late Penalty	The chore stays available but awards fewer S’mores

Both controls are Premium-only.

Start with the Real Deadline

Before adding either control, ask:

• Does the chore have a true deadline?
• Is the due time realistic?
• Did the child receive a useful reminder?
• Does completing it late still help?
• Does the child understand the rule?

A deadline control cannot fix a bad schedule.

Use Lock When Late Work No Longer Helps

Good Lock examples:

• Pack backpack before leaving
• Put trash out before collection
• Feed a pet by a required time
• Complete a responsibility before an appointment
• Bring sports equipment before departure

Once the chore is past due and incomplete, it becomes locked.

The family member cannot complete it through the normal flow.

Use Late Penalty When the Work Still Matters

Good Late Penalty examples:

• Fold laundry
• Complete a bedroom reset
• Put away clean dishes
• Organize school papers
• Finish a weekly chore

The family member can still complete the chore.

The late completion awards fewer S’mores.

Use Neither When Timing Does Not Matter

Flexible chores may not need a deadline control.

Examples:

• Organize a bookshelf this weekend
• Sort seasonal clothes
• Complete a family project
• Fold towels Anytime Saturday

Use Anytime when the day or period matters more than the clock.

Pair the Control with a Reminder

Free includes one reminder.

Premium supports multiple reminders.

A time-sensitive chore may use:

• Planning reminder
• Due-time reminder
• Parent completion notification

The child should have a fair chance to act before Lock or Late Penalty applies.

Explain the Rule Before the First Occurrence

Try:

The backpack chore locks at 7:30 AM because we leave at 7:35.

Or:

Folding laundry by 6:00 PM earns 20 S’mores. Completing it later earns fewer.

Do not introduce the consequence only after the child finishes.

Review the Pattern in Weekly View

Weekly View can show:

• Late
• Locked
• Missed icon
• Current and prior week
• Activity by member
• Category or time patterns

Ask:

• Is the chore always late?
• Is the reminder useful?
• Is the due time wrong?
• Does the child have too much work at once?
• Is the control helping?

Change the schedule before increasing pressure.

When a Child Is Away

Away is not the same as Lock.

When a child is set to Away:

• Their assigned chores are excused and hidden from pending
• Existing pending chores are excused
• Future instances continue to be skipped
• Family, member, and chore streaks are not affected
• Schedules remain intact

Use Away when the child is not available to do the work.

Use Lock or Late Penalty when the child is responsible but the deadline matters.

Common Problems

The child never has enough time

Move the due time or reminder.

Lock is overridden often

Lock may not fit the chore.

Late Penalty makes the reward meaningless

Adjust the rule or remove the control.

The chore is always late

Fix timing, ownership, instructions, or workload.

The child had a valid reason

Use Excuse for that occurrence, or Away when the child is away for an ongoing period.

Common Questions

Are both controls Premium?

Yes.

Can a locked chore be completed late normally?

No.

Does a late chore still earn S’mores?

Yes, fewer when Late Penalty is enabled.

Can Lock and Late Penalty be combined?

Verify current product behavior.

Is Away a deadline control?

No.

Best First Action

Choose one chore with a real deadline.

Decide whether late completion is useless or still helpful, then choose Lock or Late Penalty.

Related Articles

• How Locked Chores Work
• How Late Penalties Work
• How to Use Multiple Reminders Without Creating Noise
• How Due Times, Anytime, and As Needed Work