I look around the house right this moment, and things are pretty good. Dishes mostly done, main level pretty clean and uncluttered, table polished, etc. But there is no hope of it staying that way for long. And it is depressing and HARD work some times. In full disclosure, we have a cleaner come to our house once a week who cleans and vacuums from top to bottom, and STILL it is hard to keep up with the clutter. So imagine how happy I was when last week Hilde asked if she could have a Job Chart. She made it herself, and we put 5 things on it:
1) Clean bedroom
2) Clean playroom
3) Wash dishes
4) Wash vegetables
5) Sweep kitchen
Every time she does one of these she can put a sticker on the chart. Once she has 30 stickers, she can get a treat (yet to be determined). Saturday morning Dave came in and said "Guess what your children are doing." It was quiet so I figured they must be watching a show or doing puzzles. To my surprise, Hilde and Enoch were making a job chart for Enoch. His had essentially the same things as Hilde except instead of wash dishes he had clean windows. I know this will be the first of a zillion experiments on how to teach the kids to help clean the house, and to teach them responsibility, but right now it is fun. And although we already have them clear away their dishes after meals, put away their laundry, and clean their rooms, I realize there are many other things we could have them do. Here is a list of some ideas for age appropriate chores.
What do you have your kids do? What age were they when you first started "chores". What do your kids like/dislike doing? What is the one chore you HATE and the one you secretly like?
5 comments:
I am so jealous- I keep begging Ben for a cleaning lady. So far he has yet to cave- sigh.
That is AWESOME that they are making their own chore charts! We are not quite there yet as our girls are so little, but Audra does help to clean her room (after she takes out every article of clothing she owns and throws them all around her room, I make her help put them away), and she LOVES to have a wet rag and "clean" the table and dishes. I guess that is a start.
I think about when we were little and I do think rewards work. I've also heard that rewards are bad because then your children will always expect something when they do something good, but remember the marble jar? When it was full we all got to go out for ice-cream or something? I thought that worked well. And, stickers are always a hit as well! Maybe they could get a marble for above and beyond chores like dusting, but not for regular chores like making the bed? I don't know.
Let us know what works and doesn't-we will learn from your successess and mistakes:)
Cute kids :) Job charts were a pretty big part of our household growing up!
I hate doing dishes, but I LOVE to vacuum. I would vacuum any time of day, anywhere, for anyone.
Well...almost.
Your kids are not for real...
I'm a deadbeat Mom. Which in this case means we are inconsistent at making the kids do chores. And when we do assign them, we have to closely supervise to make sure they stay on task. I figure when they're older and motivated by money there will be a chore-allowance leverage, but for now we're kind of dinking around.
They like spray bottles, so sometimes when I'm cleaning they get a spray bottle of water and a paper towel and clean the floor or the dining chairs, or sometimes the glass doors. Other than that they must clean up the family room where all the toys are once or twice a week, but I have to micro-manage a bit.
No chore is coming to mind as something I love. Maybe cleaning the counters. It's easy and satisfying. I pretty much hate folding laundry which is why sometimes it never gets folded. But if I can plop a basket of clean clothes in front of Ed while he watches TV he will fold it, for the most part. Putting it away is another story.
Your dislike of folding laundry must run in the family. Dave will do any chore in the whole house rather than do laundry. Every once in a while I will beg him to help fold, and he'll do it, but I can tell he is itching to be done! Luckily I don't mind laundry most of the time, especially when it gets me out of doing the dishes.
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