This addresses your question from a NON microsoft perspective -- but I think
regardless of the "charting" ---- this has to come first!
The way I get chores done in my house... is that there are NO ELECTONICS
used until AFTER all chores are done... that means Television, CD player,
computer, Playstation/GameBoy/X-Box , Telephone or whatever. I would
recommend that you assign specific chores to each child -- don't change them
by the day or the week -- to easy to get confused --- or forget what is
yours. Sit down -- layout all of the routine chores and go around the
table -- assign those that require specific persons to do first -- then let
them pick the rest. Then make a chart that shows what each is responsible
for --- on a big poster board -- and post it in the kitchen (I assume all
the kids start the day with breakfast) or another prominent place.
The key is that YOU make no exceptions, and if they are caught on
electronics before their chores are done AND done right -- they still do
the chores (orm do them over) but are off electronics for the remainder of
the day. Enforce this 100% and I promise in no time you'll have them
hurrying to finish!
Feel free to substitute swimming, skateboarding or whatever drives your kids
during the day -- what is their PRIMARY motivator. Accessing that is solely
dependent on getting done first things first.
Has worked like a charm in my house -- although the first week I had to be a
real cop -- 100% enforcement is critical up front.
Have a fun summer!
Kate in MI