ChorPact

Research

A smarter way for parents and teenagers to agree on chores before the argument starts.

The Friction

Chore arguments happen because the deal was never actually clear. Verbal agreements fall apart the moment someone remembers them differently.

ChorPact started with an argument. A real one, on a Tuesday evening, between me and my 13-year-old daughter about who agreed to what.

The problem was not the chores. The problem was that we never actually had a clear deal. We had a vague verbal understanding that each of us remembered differently when it was convenient.

That is how most chore conflicts work. The negotiation happens in real time, when both sides are already annoyed, with no record of what was actually said. It is the worst possible environment for reaching a fair agreement.

The idea

ChorPact moves the negotiation out of the kitchen and into a structured system. Both sides propose what they want, see what the other side wants, and work toward a deal before any work starts. Once both sides agree, the deal is locked. No revisions, no renegotiating, no "that is not what I said."

The reward system is flexible: cash, outings, privileges, screen time, whatever your family decides. There are no screen time controls or device monitoring. Just a clear deal that both sides signed off on.

Why teenagers specifically

Most chore apps treat teenagers like young children. Sticker charts and point systems designed for a nine-year-old do not work on a 15-year-old. ChorPact treats teenagers as people who deserve a say in the deal, not a system imposed on them.

A teenager who helped negotiate the terms is far more likely to follow through than one who was just handed a list.

Where it is now

ChorPact is in early research and concept development. The core mechanics are being defined before any code gets written. Follow the Build Log if you want to track progress.