Chores for kids

As a working mother of 3 it is nearly impossible to keep my house clean. I have the weekends (or evenings.....that won't happen) to clean. Well as you all know, as soon as I get one room done the kids are right behind me making a mess again. I spend 4 hours on Saturday cleaning, scrubbing, sweeping, mopping, etc and by the end of the day I am on the couch in tears feeling like I just wasted 4 hours of my life. I mean, I know the house needs to be cleaned but it still stinks to spend so much time on it for what?
In addition to that my kids have been wanting to buy things, new books, football cards, etc. So I decided I would start a "Chore Chart" and let them earn some money to buy these things they want. Our chore charts are simple and I decided nothing would be a requirement......if you want the money to buy those things then you must do the chores. They had to learn this the hard way, that if they didn't make their bed or brush their teeth without being told then they didn't get a mark and ultimately didn't get paid for that and therefore had less money and not enough to get what they wanted at the store. Of late, they have figured out it is better to just do it and get paid then to try to convince their cheap mother to loan them money at the end of the week!
So now, our 2 1/2 year old was wanting to get marks. So I made her a little chore chart -- hers includes, putting her shoes in the basket by the front door (instead of kicking them anywhere she pleases), making her toddler bed in the morning (I of course help her) and she has to drink all of her milk at meal time without being told! The trick when they are 2 1/2 is getting the mark on the chore chart the very second she accomplishes her task or she forgets about it. We are not paying Lady Bug much, but she does get some coins to put in her piggy bank at the end of the week!