Game Guide - Introduction
HFK is a unique system that requires an investment in your time. Like with any game you need to know the rules before you play.
Check out the Hire & Fire Your Kids Game Guide Instructions below:
1. Set family values and expectations
Think of your family like a business - what are the company (family) values and what is expected of every employee (family member).
Create your expectations. These are things around family values, behaviors, 'must-do' unpaid chores, hygiene, money management and manners such as be kind, hands to yourself, no yelling, wash your hands with soap, keep clothes off the floor, turn lights off, make your bed, move half your earning to a savings account, practice piano etc.
These expectations will be followed by every family member, at all times, yep, even you too parents!
2. You're hired
Then, hire your employees for extra jobs around the house! Create jobs (chores) for your kids to be hired for. They'll choose as many as they want and earn extra kids kash or fun experiences of your choosing.
If you have 'must-do' unpaid chores in your house you can make these part of your expectations, kids would get a warning X if not completed.
They'll compete to be your family's top performing employee of the month.
3. You're fired
Kids are encouraged to follow expectations if they want to be eligible for kids kash and incentives. BUT! If your kids are caught deviating from any of these expectations they will receive a warning X.
After receiving 3 X's (warnings), they are fired! Incentive bonuses are taken away and the consequence set from your last team meeting for that kid will activate, such as no tv, no device for 24 hours, no playing with friends etc.
Incentive Programs:
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
NOT FIRED BONUS
TEAMWORK BONUS
4. Employee of the month
Reward your kids by celebrating them as your own employee of the month. Give a special reward to the winner for the entire month. Maybe they get to pick the best seat in the car until the next payday, pick the family movie on movie night, pick a favorite cereal at the store etc.
Share your overachiever with us for a chance to be featured on our site and social media.
5. Not fired bonus
Individually, staying hired for the entire pay period is a big accomplishment. An incentive amount per kid is held at the start of a new pay period. If your kid avoids getting fired, then that amount is released and paid out on payday. Kids get to experience and practice delayed gratification.
6. Teamwork bonus
As a team, staying hired together is cause for celebration! Reward your kids with a family outing or experience (e.g. laser tag, home movie night, adventure walk, trip to the zoo), as well as extra kash for each of them on payday!
This incentive promotes teamwork and encourages the kids to remind and support each other to stay X free.
Game Guide - Let's Play!
Set your recurring Family Team Meeting day and stick to it!
Stop giving your Kids money for their wants and stop buying their wants.
Instead teach your Kids to EARN their wants.
Detailed playbook instructions on setting up & rolling out the game of hire & fire with your family.
It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change.
1. Object of the game
FIRED: Kids need to finish each pay period without getting fired and keep their incentive bonuses making them eligible for the employee of the month.
HIRED: Kids apply to the rolling job board for hire, get rewarded upon completion and get paid out on payday.
Kids do their best to follow the family values and expectations you‘ve set together. If your kid is caught not following a value or an expectation by a parent, they're given a warning X. After a certain amount of warning X's the kid get's fired. (Option to remove an X if the kid corrects X immediately)
2. Incentive bonuses
If the kid can go the entire pay period without getting fired they get to keep their not fired bonus.
If all siblings can go the entire pay period without getting fired they all get to keep their teamwork bonus.
FIRED:
If your kid does get fired they are not entitled to the above incentive bonuses and a consequence that you set together at your last team meeting will activate.
3. Game rules
Set your pay period (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)
Set your recurring payday / team meeting date
Set your payment currency (dollars or points)
Set the number of warning X's before getting fired
Set the 'not fired' bonus reward amount
Set the 'teamwork' bonus reward amount
4. You're fired / expectations
1. COMMUNICATE YOUR FAMILY VALUES
What are your own family values? e.g. Be kind, respectful, stay positive etc.
2. CREATE & COMMUNICATE YOUR FAMILY EXPECTATIONS
Use our template/default or customize with your own expectations. These are behavioral, hygiene, manners, money management, extended game rules & expectations your family must follow at all times, and can include some "must-do" unpaid chores. (Expectations are what can get you fired...)
3. EXPLORE & COMMUNICATE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES
Obtain input from your kids about the type of consequences they’d expect for not following the family expectations.
Consider consequences that are realistic, manageable and that you as a parent can stick to.
Decide on the consequences of being fired. Examples:
No TV
No internet for the day
No playing with friends
4. COMMUNICATE THE “NOT FIRED BONUS"
Customize kids kash amounts to suit your family.
Dollar (or point) bonuses are held at the beginning of the pay period for each kid, encouraging them to stay hired and allows them to practice delayed gratification.
If your Kid is fired, then the bonus is taken away and not paid out on pay day.
5. DEFINE & COMMUNICATE THE FAMILY “TEAMWORK BONUS”
At the end of the pay period if all kids stay hired then...
bonuses are awarded to each kid. Maybe even throw in a family Experience for the whole team. ie. laser tag, home movie night, adventure walk, the zoo.
5. You're hired / jobs & employee of the month
1. CREATE & COMMUNICATE THE JOB POSTINGS (CHORES FOR HIRE)
Choose from our template/default or customize with your own.
Decide if any should instead be part of the everyday must-do basic contribution chores (Non-Payable). Move these to the expectations.
Customize kids kash amount to suit your family.
Parent(s) initial each time job is complete on "paper" version
2. COMMUNICATE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Parent(s) chooses employee of the month and considers:
FAMILY VALUES – who was best at family values ie, helpful, kind, respectful, etc.
FIRED – who was not fired or had least amount of X’s.
TEAMWORK – who was helping or encouraging others to stay hired.
HIRED – who participated the most, applied for most jobs, completed the most job, earned the most or whatever you choose.
Your own employee of the month receives:
Special Reward for the WHOLE MONTH. Kid to choose with parent(s) approval. ie. favorite seat in the car for the whole month, box of cereal of their choice etc.
6. Kids kash
Take a look at our suggested kids kash rewards but feel free to establish your own for what works in your family. You can redeem kids kash for real money or experiences.
Here are some of our Hire & Fire Families favorite experiences: EXPERIENCE IDEAS.
7. Probationary period
Take the time and invest in teaching your kids. Everyone will need some practice to adjust, so we highly recommend a probationary period to set you all up for success! The Hire & Fire Method is a lifestyle change not a diet :)
While the kids are getting used to things, it's helpful to snap photo evidence of something you come across that is "X worthy". Send a message to them as a friendly reminder and watch how fast they take action to resolve and remove that X!
8. Team Meetings
Pre-Launch Team Meeting
Host an initial Pre-Launch Team Meeting to communicate the game and kids kash payouts chosen.
Have the kids participate in setting jobs and expectations and negotiate the pay rates per job with them.
Throughout the pay period take photo evidence to show where improvements can be made to share at your next meeting.
Payday - Team Meeting
Host a Pay Day Team Meeting every pay period or monthly (consistency is the key to success with Hire & Fire). Make it fun with snacks, prizes, cash on hand, order in, or even dress up!
Review things like:
Strengths and opportunities that month
Focus items for new month
How are you doing as their parent (start, stop, continue)
Set consequences/rewards for new pay period's gameplay
Announce the employee of the month
The kids really begin to look forward to these meetings!
Tutorials
Learn more about setting up, and rolling out Hire & Fire Your Kids with your family.
Setting up the app before play
Steps 1-7
1. Install the app, be sure to allow notifications and watch the orientation tutorial videos
2. Register a family account creating a username (min 4 letters) & 14 character passphrase (I love going for walks)
3. Set your game rules
4. Customize job template
5. Customize expectations template
6. Invite your team to play (parents set your players username and passphrase)
7. Host your 1st family team meeting to roll out HFK, and be sure to stick to your payday/team meetings!
THINGS TO NOTE
Note: all players can use the web app version found at app.HireandFireyourKids.com on any computer or device by logging in with their username and passphrase. Ensure you “Allow Notifications” for optimal game play (we remind your kids to do their chores!)
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