Sandy Southwest

New chore charts....

Not a very catchy title, huh?  But hey, this is what it is - new chore charts.  After spending the morning on the phone with my mom (as she was helping me overcome my frustrations and limitations on being able to do it all anymore), she helped me re-work our chore system. 

The previous chore charts are listed here in the blog - I loved the system!  I made it up - with kitchen, house and bedroom zones.  It has worked wonderfully for while I had so many young children!  The kitchen was divided into small, easy workable chores for everyone as was the house.  But, about 1 month ago - I had to stop it...

I asked my 2 teenagers to help me one day - no big deal; one would assume...However the conversation went like this:

Me, "Matt, please unload the dishwasher please."  Matt, "NO!  That's NOT my chore.  My chore is table.  It's done!" 

Me, "Lina, please pick up the family room."  Lina, "NO - my chore is bathroom!"

So, that day, I tossed the chore charts in the filing cabinet and a little "family" meeting with my kids!  It was actually more like a "you listen and Mom talks" meeting.  I informed my little nay sayers that as of this moment that there would-be no more chore charts - just Mom telling what and when to clean up!  So, my sweet little children have been practicing obedience this past month! 

So, yesterday, in the midst of my tears and anguish, my mom helped me re-do the system for having older children.  Here it is: 

 Daily Chores:  Unload & Table - Load & Counters - Kitchen Trash & Floor - Bath & Hall - Family Room - School Room & Office Area - Floors & Vacuum

 To be done on Saturday mornings: Laundry Area - Mop Floors - Hercules’ Yard (the dog) – Dusting - Fridge & Microwave - House Trash - Porches

 To be done 1st Saturday of each month:  Garage – Blinds - Doors/Door Jambs – Baseboards - Garbage Cans

So, is this going to work?  It will!  The new system quits using a micromanaged system for having little kids – it now requires everyone to do a little more.  I assigned Matt, the oldest a permanent job of unloading the dishwasher and table.  The reason is this – he attends a public high school and as such, he is out the door for seminary at 6:15 am (thanks to me driving him – how much longer until he turns 16?) – So, he has this permanent chore – thereby making it easier for the rest of us!

When Michael returns, then he will get a permanent chore also – most likely the trash and floors.

The chart is the same – I have chores going across the top with names along the side.  Chores are rotated out once per week – every Monday morning they change.  The littlest ones get help from me with the chores.

The weekly chores will be assigned/”volunteered” each Sat morning with 2 children doing each one.  Same with the monthly chores.

The kids are excited to try this – though apprehensive – I mean, “loading and cleaning off the counters?  That is tooooo much work, MOM!

 Please.

Untitled Comment

11:27 PM, Aug. 20, 2007 .. Posted by my5wolfcubs

We do "zones" for daily chores/clean up, which are the 4 major living areas of our house. These are rotated weekly between my 4 older children, with the bathroom (or kitchen floor) in each zone being scrubbed on Saturday. But get the "That is in _________'s zone."

Lee (from the WTM board)
http://my5wolfcubs.blogspot.com/

PS Hey, didn't you say you'd post pictures of your sewing/craft area once you cleaned it up?? I haven't cleaned mine...yet!

Untitled Comment

9:50 AM, Sep. 14, 2007 .. Posted by Anonymous

This isn't about your chore charts, but anopther entry you made.There are some great and supportive group over at lapbooking@yahoogroups. They are very supportive, full of ideas and fun.You have a lovely home and family