Wednesday, March 7, 2007 - Chores-What we do
I had a comment left about what we do for chores.
Our blessings have had chores of some sort ever since they could remember. In the beginning, it was just little things like picking up toys when finished or told. They all loved to swiffer when they started walking. Hey, every little bit helps. My children have always had something to do. We have had weekly chore charts we have had index card systems, pull a job out of a jar, etc. Right now each one has one room they swiffer the floor in daily, and two other jobs for regular daily chores. Plus keeping their rooms clean (picked up, beds made, etc.) They also help with laundry, folding and putting away their own. And they all love to help cook or bake in the kitchen.
My oldest blessing is 8 and has zones for the bedroom. Five zones, five weekdays. We are still trying to get there with him on this, he wants the easy way out still.
Right now each one has a plastic folder with papers in sheet protectors (little journals). They have their morning routine page (make bed, dressed, dirty clothes where they belong, personal grooming etc.) One page for their chore list and another page for a weekly check off, with music practice added. We use wipe off markers to mark what has been done. Then blesing #1 has the zone page. I plan on doing this for the other blessings in the fall. We need the summer to learn to purge and do some organization in there.
This is what works for us. I firmly believe they should work and that I should not have to remind them. It needs to become natural. They will still try to get by without doing their work some days, especially on Dad's days off. Actually my girls are sometimes better than my boy.
My suggestion to anyone who is starting new or starting over. Very important Teach them one thing, teach them to do it as you want it done. Not perfect, but well. This takes time. One of my issues was with my son and the toliet. He was making a mess, so I taught him to clean the toliet. It is one of his chores daily (I still give it a thorough Mommy cleaning once or twice a week, but it rarely needs that) I taught him how and where to clean. I showed him the first day, the second day I watched and coached and he cleaned, then I watched for a few more days. Then I could step back and know he knew what was expected, and the next few days, I just checked when I went in there. If I noticed anything I would show him so he was gently reminded. I did the same thing when I teach my blessings to swiffer, we start in the kitchen, our linoleum pattern is the same width as the swiffer, so I teach them to go in rows, thus teaching to be thorough and clean the whole floor instead of walking around aimlessly, that helpd when they were older and went onto the laminate flooring without such guides.
I was going to add pictures, but did not, comment if you want to see what we do.
May the Lord find us faithful.
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