Mystery of Hist. Vol. 2
Music Ace Deluxe
Art Studies
"Cale" Seventh Grade
CQLA Level B
Purposeful Design Spelling
Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra
Literature from the Library (Ambleside Online)
Apologia's General Science
Boy Scouts
"Joe" Fourth Grade
Horizons Math 3
CQLA Pre-A
Purposeful Design Spelling
A Reason for Handwriting
Literature from Library (Ambleside Online)
Apologia Zoology 2
Webelos Scout
"Kade" Age Four
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 EZ Lessons
Horizons Math K
Interlock by: Weaver/AOP (Joy, too)
"It is only by introducing the young
to great literature, drama, and music,
and to the excitement
of great science,
that we open to them
the possibilities
that lie within the human spirit--
enable them to see visions
and dream dreams."
Eric Anderson
Currently Reading
Family read-aloud
Huckleberry Finn
Rick and I are reading together
I am reading
The Discarded Image
by: CS Lewis
by:
Our Morning Devotions are:
The Daily Bible
and
Plants Grown Up and
For Instruction in Righteousness
by: Doorposts
Big Truths for Little Kids
Cale and Joe are reading
Animal Farm
Cale is reading:
Land Under the Pole Star
by:
Joe is reading:
Island of the Blue Dolphin
by:
Kade is reading:
Magazines to which we subscribe:
Birds and Blooms
Consumer Reports
Answers
World
Favorite Music
Selah
Steven Curtis Chapman
Chris Tomlin
Gaither Gospel
Dixieland Jazz
Keith Green
Rich Mullins
Quote Collection
"Til sin be bitter,
Christ will not be sweet."
Thomas Watson
"We wish you PEACE
It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work.
It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."
unknown
"Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness
has never danced in the rain."
unknown
"All I have seen teaches me to
trust the Creator
for all I have not seen."
Emerson
"There is only one way to lead a child down the right path
that is to go that way yourself."
unknown
"We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Cleaning and scrubbing
can wait 'til tomorrow.
For babies grow up,
we learn to our sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs!
Dust, go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby,
and babies don't keep!"
unknown
Jun. 5, 2009 - Show and Tell Friday......Bonus Board
Chores.
It seems like every parent re-visits the question of chores multiple times while their children are growing up.
Do we do chores? (for some the answer is no, thus making it very easy as mom just becomes the slave to all. My own mother-in-law thinks it is terrible that our children do chores).
But, for most of us, especially homeschoolers, the answer is Yes. We want the children to do chores. After all, when everyone is home "all day, every day" stuff piles up and gets pulled out and I know the mud seems to trek across the floors magically here. Frankly, I cannot be the slave to everyone and I would feel as though I was robbing them of precious life experience if I tried to be. I know I'd be robbing them of a peaceful momma if I did everything for everyone!
I have tried all manner of things over the past 10 years to keep track of chores or somehow ensure that they get done. I would not dare to say that our current "system" is the one that will still be in place when the last child leaves the house. I wouldn't even venture to say that it will be the same a year from now!
One thing is for sure, each season of life is different and each child in my home is wired differently.
I used to have a set list and schedule for each day of the week and each child. This was great as we all knew what to expect and it was working well. The pitfall I ran into was that one of my children is extremely literal. In other words, if it wasn't on his day to do it or on the list for the day, then he couldn't possibly be expected to actually do something "extra" that I request that seems like a chore. Well, he could be "motivated" to do it, but his heart attitude was far from good. I wanted to help him become more flexible in this arena and there are times when something else pops up that needs to be done now and it wasn't in the original plan for the day.
So, do I have a list of some sort for my children's chores?
Not really. I have one in my head. I even have a list of household chores to be done in my binder, but the boys don't see this. I know what each child is capable of doing and which chores I have trained them to do. When I feel like we're in a rut or they could be challenged more, then I go to look at the chore lists of others. I have often visited Titus2.com to look at the chore lists over there. They are broken down by ages, if I recall correctly.
Mostly, though, I use my good old dry erase board and write down what needs to be done by each child that day. I sometimes write "and whatever else Mom tells you to do."
Other chores are cyclical.
Wednesdays, Cale is always to take out the trash.
Joe is expected to daily empty the dishwasher whenever it is finished running...multiple times in a day.
They each have a room to maintain...Joe is to keep toys and books cleaned up from the kitchen, Cale is in charge of the same for the living room. Kade is working on keeping the back of the toilet wiped off and also the bathroom sink and counter.
They have to do their own laundry by age six. Kade is in his training year for laundry.
Sometimes we will attack a room as a group and all work together. We do this fairly often, really. It proves to be quite bonding to transform an area that has gotten out of control to something we can all enjoy again. Even little Hope loves to be given a rag or baby wipe to clean the wall or a spot on the floor.
At the end of the day I evaluate whether they did their chores or not. They can choose to not do them, up to a point. If they have done everything well, then they get a chore point for the day. Once they have six chore points, they get a very modest allowance. (Allowances are a whole other discussion.) We have a peg board we use to keep track of their chores each day/week. We also use it to keep track of extra things they do above and beyond and also for behavior rewards/consequences. Let's say, I ask a child to get a cup of milk for his baby sister because I'm in the middle of something else (or too lazy to get up myself). I reward the child by saying, get a bonus point. He then adds a green disc next to his name for that day. Or, if a child has a rotten attitude about their schoolwork, I can say, "I'm putting up a penalty because of the attitude I see. You are not working cheerfully or diligently." yada, yada, yada Then I put a red/white disc next to said child's name.
There are 2 columns per day/per child. One column is for chores, the other is for bonuses/penalties.
Here is what the board looks like:
At the end of the week, we tally up how many bonuses and how many penalties for each child. Bonuses add, penalties subract...sometimes they simply cancel each other out. I put tally marks on my dry erase paper above the bonus board for each child's chores and bonuses. When they get 20 bonuses, they get a special date with mom or dad. This is not to say we don't ever take them out one-on-one at other times. We do try to take one with us here and there as we run errands individually. Or we might allow someone to stay up later one night for some parent time. But, at 20 points they get a special date.....like Mom takes them to Olive Garden for dinner or Dad takes them somewhere special, just them.
For now, this is working out pretty well for us. It is easy enough for me to keep up with everyone and not an overwhelming system. It is very flexible and we can deal with multiple issues and easily give recognition or a gentle reprimand for the small things that come along in attitudes/behavior.
Now, scoot over to Mary's blog for other Show and Tell posts.
I just love it when you share your neat methods ! I love the peg board idea. I am in the thinking through stage of how we are going to handle chores. I find this time a year is when we revamp what we are doing in the chore department. I am trying to find something to work with the older ones and the younger ones. I will have to try somethings I have seen and share how it goes. I love the white board ideas !
Great system. I am glad you have something that works for you. A big goal of ours this summer is attitude while doing chores.
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Dawn~4sweetums
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