Whose Turn Is It? Set Up Rotating Chores in Kroni
By Erik Nilsen · Kroni7 min read
Yes, you can. If a chore repeats every day or on set weekdays, you can add two or more children in a fixed order and let the chore rotate between them. You won't have to change who has the chore each time. Before you save, check the upcoming turns shown in the app. If they match what you agreed at home, you're done.
This guide covers which chores work for a rotation, how to set up the order, and what to do when someone wants to swap a single day.
Which chores can rotate?
Taking turns applies to one specific chore that comes back again and again. Typical examples are feeding the cat, emptying the dishwasher, setting the table or taking out the trash.
A rotation works for two kinds of chores:
- Daily chores, such as feeding the cat every evening.
- Chores on set weekdays, such as taking out the trash on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
It doesn't work for:
- One-off chores, like clearing out the storage room one Saturday. There's no next turn to pass it on to.
- Flexible chores with a quota, where the child picks when to do the chore during the period. There's no fixed day to hand over.
If what you really want is variety between different chores, that's a separate topic. You can read more in Kids Bored of Chores? How a Chore Rotation Helps.
How to set up the turn order
- Pick the chore. It has to be daily or on set weekdays.
- Choose to have the kids take turns. Add at least two children.
- Put them in the order you agreed. The order you enter is the order the chore follows.
- Look at the upcoming turns. The app shows who is up for the next few times. Read through the list before you save.
- Decide whether the chore earns coins and whether you'll approve it. The rotation only decides whose turn it is. Rewards and approval work the same way as for any other chore.
The preview in the app is what counts. The tables below are only examples, so always compare them with what actually shows on screen.
Example 1: two kids, daily chore
Picture a fictional family where Ida and Jonas share feeding the cat every evening. The order is Ida, then Jonas.
| Turn | Whose turn |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ida |
| 2 | Jonas |
| 3 | Ida |
| 4 | Jonas |
The kids can see whose turn is next. If a disagreement comes up by the food bowl, you have an agreed order to check together.
Example 2: three kids, set weekdays
In another made-up family, the trash goes out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Three kids share the job in the order Sara, Emil, Nora.
| Turn | Day (example) | Whose turn |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monday | Sara |
| 2 | Wednesday | Emil |
| 3 | Friday | Nora |
| 4 | Monday | Sara |
| 5 | Wednesday | Emil |
| 6 | Friday | Nora |
Notice one thing here. With three kids and three days a week, each child lands on the same weekday every week. If that suits your family, fine. But if Emil has practice every Wednesday, it's better to change the order now than to argue about it later. So when you look at the preview, check both who is up and which day they get.
If you're unsure whether a chore suits your kids, What should kids be able to do at home? A complete list by age can be a starting point. In the end, you know your own children and what they can do safely.
If the chore earns coins
In Kroni, kids earn virtual coins. It isn't real money. A rotating chore could earn, say, 5 coins each time. That number is just an example, not a recommended rate.
Only the child whose turn it is should mark the chore as done. When one child finishes, it doesn't count as everyone having done their turn. If you've turned on approval, the chore comes to you before the coins are added to the balance. If your family has agreed that coins can be swapped for allowance, you pay that yourself, for example in cash or with a mobile payment app. The app doesn't transfer any money.
Keep in mind that necessary expenses stay the parents' responsibility, no matter how many trash bags get carried out.
Change the whole order or swap one day?
These are two different things, and it helps to keep them apart.
Change the whole order when the arrangement changes for good. Maybe a child has started an activity that's always on the same day, or you want the youngest to go first. Then you change the order on the chore. Be aware that a new order may restart the rotation from the point where you made the change. Don't count on upcoming turns staying as they were. Check the preview again after every change, and tell the kids about the new order.
Swap one day when Sara has a birthday party on Monday and Emil takes her turn. That's an agreement between the kids, not a new order. If you change the whole setup for one day, the rest of the rotation may end up somewhere you didn't plan. If the chore is eligible, a one-date exception for just that day may fit better; such exceptions have limits and are not automatic rebalancing. If you only agree the swap out loud, for example that Sara takes Emil's next turn, the app will still show Sara for Monday, so agree beforehand how that day will be recorded. Either way, the order in the app can stay as it is.
A simple rule of thumb: if the change lasts several weeks, change the order. If it's a one-time thing, make a deal.
Template: plan the rotation before you enter it
Copy the template, fill it in with your kids, and then enter it in the app. The sheet doesn't control anything in the app, so whoever sets up the chore needs to enter the order by hand.
Worksheet: Rotating chore (copy and fill in)
| Field | Fill in |
|---|---|
| Chore | |
| Daily or set weekdays? | |
| Which days? | |
| Kids in order (1, 2, 3 …) | |
| Coins per turn (if any) | |
| Does an adult approve it? | |
| Days someone can't do (check against the preview) | |
| How we swap a single day |
Checklist before you save:
- The chore is daily or on set weekdays
- At least two children are added
- The order matches your agreement
- You've read through the upcoming turns
- Nobody is stuck on a day they can't do
- The kids know how to swap a single day
Try it this week
Pick one chore that often leads to debate, ideally one that comes up every day. Set the order with your kids at the kitchen table and let them look at the preview with you. Once they've seen for themselves who's up on Thursday, it's easier to point to the agreement than to Mom or Dad. After a week or two, check whether the order and days are working, and adjust if needed.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a chore the kids do whenever they like during the week be set to rotate?
- No. A rotation only works for chores that repeat daily or on set weekdays. Flexible chores with a quota and one-off chores can't be set up so the kids take turns.
- What happens if I change the order in the middle of the week?
- The rotation may restart from the point where you made the change, and past and planned turns may shift. Check the upcoming turns after the change and tell the kids what applies now.
- Does it count for all the kids when one of them has done the chore?
- No. The child whose turn it is does the chore and marks it done. One child finishing doesn't mean the others have done their turn.
